Obtained $589 Million Settlement in Landmark National Opioid Litigation on Behalf of Tribal Nations

A Historic First in Tribal Government Litigation

March 2022

In Re: National Prescription Opiate Litigation, 17-cv-2804 (N.D. Ohio)

Robins Kaplan represented 28 Tribal Nations asserting that the manufacturers of prescription opioids grossly misrepresented the risks of long-term use of those drugs for persons with chronic pain, and distributors failed to properly monitor suspicious orders of those prescription drugs, all of which contributed to the current opioid epidemic.

The firm, as part of the Tribal Leadership Committee, secured an initial total settlement of $589 Million on behalf of all federally recognized Tribes.

The firm secured a $439 million settlement of the national opioid litigation claims by Tribes brought against AmerisourceBergen Corp., McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health, Inc. (“Distributors”).

The firm also secured a $150 million settlement of the national opioid litigation claims by Tribes brought against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc. N/K/A Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., N/K/A Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Janssen”).

This case and these initial settlements represent a historic first in Tribal governments litigating together to exercise their sovereignty.

Past results are reported to provide the reader with an indication of the type of litigation we practice. They do not and should not be construed to create an expectation of result in any other case, as all cases are dependent upon their own unique fact situation and applicable law.

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