Counties to file suit against opioid manufacturers

By TONI WALKER and DEBBIE KNOX

Nineteen counties in East Texas are agreeing to file lawsuits against manufacturers and distributors of big pharmaceutical companies that manufacture opioids such as oxycotin, hydrocodone, percocet, fentanyl and other addicting medications in the opioid family. Morris County Commissioners agreed unanimously on Oct. 10 to file a lawsuit.

Reid Martin, a lawyer from Martin Walker law firm in Tyler, asked commissioners at their Oct. 10 meeting to join a coalition of East Texas counties against the distributors and manufacturers of opioids.

“We would like to represent this county on a contingent fee contract; there’s no expense to the county; there’s no cost to the county,” Mr. Martin said. “The lawsuit will cost money; we will hire experts and we will do discovery; the law firms will shoulder that.”

“You don’t pay us for expenses and you don’t pay us for fees unless we are successful.”

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