Texas is expected to receive $2.91 billion in opioid settlement from lawsuits against several companies. Reports say the settlement will provide direct payments to political subdivisions in the state.
Texas created the Opioid Abatement Fund Council to guarantee that the money obtained from the statewide opioid settlement will be allocated equally and put an end to the crisis in the state. The administration of the Council is associated with the Texas Comptroller’s office which assists the Council in its responsibilities in the opioid settlement.An article in Cleburne Times-Review states that Texas is expected to receive $2.91 billion in opioid settlement funds from lawsuits against several companies such as Walmart, Walgreens, Teva, McKinsey, McKesson. Mallinckrodt, Johnson & Johnson, Endo, CVS, Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen, and Allergan. The lawsuits claimed that these companies’ negligence contributed to the opioid crisis in the U.S.
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Deadline to Join Opioid Settlement
According to an article in Allied News, the Office of the Attorney General urged the political subdivisions of the state to sign the opioid settlement before the deadline on July 31. This is because joining the opioid settlement will authorize the subdivisions to receive direct payments from the Texas Opioid Council.
Officials further stated that the political subdivisions that must join the opioid settlement are local governments and county governments in the Opioids Multidistrict Litigation. Reports say 15% of the total funds in the opioid settlement will be distributed to counties and municipalities to rectify the damages caused by the crisis.