Agreement continues the firm’s success in gaining justice for state, local governments
Houston – A historic $1.85 billion settlement reached late last week with opioid manufacturers and distributors resulted from the diligent work of the Texas Attorney General’s office and a committee of top lawyers, including the Lanier Law Firm’s Dara Hegar. The settlement marks a key milestone in the state’s ongoing opioid multidistrict litigation, established to seek compensation for the efforts of state and local governments to cope with the epidemic of opioid abuse, as well as fund education, intervention and treatment programs across the state.
In addition to Ms. Hegar, members of the negotiating team included Ken Paxton and Lesley French of the Texas Office of the Attorney General, Mikal Watts and Shelly Sanford of the firm Watts Guerra, Jeffrey Simon of Simon Greenstone Panatier, and attorney Dan Downey.
“Dara is a consummate mediator and legal strategist, leading to her involvement and effectiveness in forging this agreement,” says Mark Lanier, founder of The Lanier Law Firm. “The pharmaceutical companies and distributors are beginning to recognize that the law and public opinion require them to step up and pay for the harm these highly addictive drugs have caused across every community. We’ll continue to seek resolutions when available and take these cases to trial if necessary.”
This settlement is just the latest successful outcome for Mr. Lanier and the firm in opioid-related litigation.
In November of 2021, Mr. Lanier served as lead trial counsel for two Ohio counties in securing a jury verdict finding that CVS, Walgreens and Walmart retail pharmacies were negligent in failing to properly regulate their sales of prescription opioids. Damages in that liability case have not been assessed.
On the eve of a trial led by Mr. Lanier in 2019, opioid distributors AmeriSource Bergen Corp., Cardinal Health Inc., McKesson Corp. and Teva reached a $260 million settlement with two other Ohio counties on similar claims.
About the Lanier Law Firm
For more than 30 years, the men and women at The Lanier Law Firm have worked tirelessly, throughout the United States, to find unique and effective solutions for their clients. More than 60 skilled attorneys practice law in a broad array of areas, including business litigation, pharmaceutical litigation, asbestos exposure, oil and gas litigation, personal injury as well as defective and dangerous products, among others. Named an Elite Trial Law Firm by The National Law Journal, The Lanier Law Firm has offices in Houston, New York and Los Angeles.
Contact:
J.D. Cargill
713-659-5200
[email protected]
