Franklin County has much at stake in national opioid lawsuit, lawyer says
As Franklin COLUMBUS —
County took the first official step Tuesday to join a national lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors, the county’s attorney said it will play a vital role in the litigation.
As Ohio’s most-populous county, Franklin County also provides medical and other services for residents of many other Ohio counties battling the opioid epidemic.
Already, Franklin County has spent huge sums of money in that fight and will need much more to continue the fight with services and programs to help the addicted, David Butler said.
“What we are seeking as recovery in the (suit) is money for the past expenses to deal with the opiate crisis but going forward, what do these communities need to clean up this mess,” said Butler, who is managing partner of the Columbus office of the law firm of Taft, Stettinius & Hollister.
Franklin County is important, Butler stressed, because many of the residents of the Ohio counties Taft already represents in the opioid lawsuit have gone or go to Franklin County for medical and other services related to their addiction and treatment.
“Franklin County could play a role that would be very unique and actually transcend the borders of Franklin County itself,” Butler said.
Franklin County officially has yet to join the suit but is taking steps that would allow that to happen.
At their meeting Tuesday, commissioners passed a resolution that allows them to hire outside attorneys to represent them in the suit. Next, a local judge, under Ohio law, has to approve hiring outside lawyers. That is expected to happen next week.
The commissioners’ vote came on the same day the federal judge presiding over the suit, involving governments in several states, meets with lawyers on both sides to start the process that could lead to a trial or settlement.
Those governments accuse opioid manufacturers and distributors of improperly preferring profits over public health by flooding the market with opioids that created the epidemic, costing cities, counties and states billions of dollars, now and in the future, in health-care and other costs.
Generally, opioid manufacturers and distributors — including Dublin-based Cardinal Health — have said they’ve done nothing illegal. Some also have provided millions for drugs that counteract opioids and for other costs related to opioid addiction.
“Combating the opioid crisis in Franklin County requires more than a BandAid response. We have all seen the impact on individuals and families. As commissioners, we have also seen the burden on our critical safety net services,” Commissioner Marilyn Brown said Tuesday.