Attorneys from Burns Charest are representing a group of 29 Texas-based public and private hospitals in a civil lawsuit against the manufacturers, distributors and retailers of opioid-based drugs.

The complaint, filed in Dallas County, alleges negligence, fraud and civil conspiracy by the defendants, which include Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories and more than 40 other companies and individuals involved in the manufacturing, distribution, and sales of prescription opioids. 

According to the filing, the unlawful actions are part of a decades-long practice in which the defendants made false assurances about the addiction risks associated with the opioid products and used other deceptive marketing tactics to persuade physicians and other health care providers to broaden prescribing patterns. The result has been widespread addiction, suffering, and loss of life in communities across the nation, with hospitals bearing the financial burden of care and treatment for the victims.

“Texas hospitals are on the front lines of an epidemic that creates an enormous financial burden,” said Darren Nicholson, one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs. “Because they are the key dealing with this public health crisis, they should also receive any funds resulting from litigation and settlements by these defendants. While other lawsuits filed by states and municipalities have merit, the financial and operational damage that Texas hospitals have experienced is acute, and the law requires that these organizations assert their own claims.”  ”

Mr. Nicholson’s additional comments about the lawsuit can be found in media coverage from The Dallas Morning News and Fox4.