Yates County is getting another $150,000 in opioid lawsuit settlement money.
Related: Millions coming to counties in the Finger Lakes through opioid settlement
The state sued Johnson & Johnson and other drug manufacturers in 2019, claiming they were responsible for the recent rise in opioid overdose deaths. Johnson & Johnson settled out of court, agreeing to pay the state $230 million. The Yates County Legislature authorized the settlement agreement on behalf of the county last September. Yates County Administrator Nonie Flynn says even though part of the settlement money can be spent however the county wants, it will all go to education, prevention, and treatment.
Attorney General Letitia James also announced settlements and/or court victories in three other opioid cases. All told, the state has secured at least $1.5 billion so far. After a recent verdict against Teva Pharmaceuticals, James said in a statement “I am eternally grateful to the trial team and all the staff in the Office of the Attorney General, who put in countless hours on our opioids litigation. Without them, we wouldn’t be delivering more than $1.5 billion to New York state to invest in opioid treatment, recovery, and education programs. While no amount of money will ever compensate for the human suffering, the addiction, or the lives lost due to opioid abuse, we will immediately push to move forward with a trial to determine how much Teva and others will pay.”
Related: INSIDE THE FLX: HEALing Community Study tackes opioid abuse in Auburn and Cayuga County (podcast)
Listen to my full Inside the FLX conversation with Yates County Administrator Nonie Flynn below.
