A West Virginia court has ordered Walmart to turn over all materials supplied to state and federal agencies investigating the retail giant’s practices in dispensing opioid medications. Burns Charest represents hospitals dealing with the crushing pressures on financial and human resources caused by the opioid epidemic. 

In the order, the court overruled each objection by Walmart to deny discovery and ordered the company to provide responses and responsive documents to the plaintiffs by a late November deadline.

“Walmart has been taking different positions in different courts. In a shareholder suit in Delaware investigating possible wrongdoing and mismanagement in opioid practices known to the Walmart Board, Walmart claimed that the DOJ’s investigation was closed,” said firm partner Darren Nicholson.  “But in its objection to discovery in our case, Walmart said the company couldn’t turn over information because a federal investigation was still open. The court rightfully noted that inconsistency, and we look forward to receiving the documents we believe will support our claims.”