Opioid victims can file claims against Purdue

Judge sets June 30 deadline to seek funds

State and local governments have been leading the legal fight against the opioid industry, seeking payouts to help them deal with the fallout from the nation’s addiction crisis. Average Americans are about to get their shot.

On Friday, the federal judge overseeing the bankruptcy case of Purdue Pharma set a June 30 deadline to file a claim against the company. That includes governments, entities such as hospitals and, for the first time, individuals who have personal injury claims.

It’s not clear how much money might be at stake. Purdue reached an agreement with some states and local governments that could be worth more than $10 billion over time as part of its bankruptcy filing. But Judge Robert Drain emphasized during the hearing in White Plains, New York, that no final settlement is in place.

Once a settlement and restructuring deal for Purdue is approved, the next step will be deciding how to divide the company’s assets. There is no guarantee those who became addicted to opioids or their families would receive any money, and the judged emphasized that the claims would be open only to people who believe they were harmed by Purdue’s products, not opioids generally.

Another member of the victims’ committee, 33-year-old Garrett Hade, said he has been sober for nearly five years after a long odyssey through addiction that began with

OxyContin when he was a teenager in Florida. He said he would donate any money he receives from Purdue.

Now, as an organizer with the Recovery Advocacy Project, he said he’s telling people that they will be able to make claims.

“People need to know that as a person there is some recourse out there,” said Hade, who now lives in Las Vegas.

Also on Friday, the bankruptcy judge said he would allow Purdue CEO Craig Landau to collect a bonus this year up to $1.3 million, on top of his $2.6 million salary.