Sponsored Content: The City of Baltimore has filed suit against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and one doctor’s office for their part in the opioid epidemic that has ravaged the city. The suit, which is being spearheaded by the City’s Solicitor Andre Davis, is one of several which have been filed recently in an attempt to apportion the massive costs being incurred by cities and states in their fight against the epidemic.
The lawsuit claims that these drug manufacturers and distributors knew of the dangerous and addictive nature of the drugs they were producing and marketing, but chose to downplay or ignore those risks, which left the public unable to understand the impact those drugs may have on them or the addictive nature of drugs. These companies were negligent in their acts, the lawsuit alleges, and should therefore be held financially responsible for the damages inflicted.
“The legal theories presented by these lawsuits are ones normally used by individuals harmed by defective drugs or products, to try and have the company responsible pay for injuries caused,” said Glenn Ivey, a Dangerous Drug Attorney with the law firm of Price Benowitz, LLP in Washington, D.C. These cities and states are arguing that they have been damaged because the negligence of the companies have caused massive spikes in health care costs due to overdoses.
Any claim for negligence requires a showing that the defendant failed to use ordinary or reasonable care in producing, designing, manufacturing, or in some cases, selling the product; and that this failure resulted in damages to the plaintiff. The argument being advanced by the City of Baltimore focuses on the manufacturers funding of questionable research that downplayed the dangers of the drugs, and that this research was then used to advertise the safety of those drugs. It also says that distributers failed to monitor and report suspicious orders of the drugs, which led to an explosion in the number prescription opioids available to patients.
It is important for individuals to remember that these same legal theories are available to them if they believe a dangerous drug has caused them or a loved one harm. Litigation related to dangerous drugs is challenging, but when properly advanced and argued, they can be successful in both winning compensation for pain and suffering caused by the drug, and in holding someone or some company accountable for the injuries caused.
About the sponsor: Maryland Personal Injury Attorney Glenn Ivey has been elected State’s Attorney in Prince George’s County, Maryland twice and was formerly Assistant U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C. This sponsored content is provided by Attorney Glenn Ivey with Price Benowitz LLP.
The material published in this article is sponsored content and not a product of the Baltimore Fishbowl editorial team. Any opinions expressed in this material do not necessarily represent the views of Baltimore Fishbowl.
