City of Eureka files lawsuit against opioid manufacturers

Eureka, Ca. (KIEM)- In an effort to combat opioid addiction and prevent further overdoses, the City of Eureka has joined the fight against manufacturers of prescription opioids as well as the three primary wholesale distributors and the city is not alone. Many other counties, cities and tribal authorities have already filed lawsuits to hold manufactures and distributors accountable for not completely disclosing the addictive nature of the drug and pushing for opioid prescriptions.

The lawsuit won’t cost the city any money, because it’s being counseled by an outside legal firm. The firm will absorb legal costs if the suit is lost.

If big pharma is found guilty of violating California’s Unfair Competition Law and the federal Racketeering Statue. The city plans to use part of the settlement to pay legal fees. Then return remaining funds to the community to fight the effects of addiction.

PRESS RELEASE PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF EUREKA
City of Eureka Files Lawsuit in Response to Opioid Crisis
August 30, 2018
The City of Eureka has filed a lawsuit in federal court in the Northern District of California against the largest manufacturers of prescription opioids in the United States, as well as the three primary wholesale distributors of prescription opioids in the country. The complaint alleges Defendants violated California’s Unfair Competition Law and the federal racketeering statute (“RICO”), and also that Defendants’ conduct constitutes a public nuisance, negligence, and unjust enrichment under California law.
Opioid-related overdoses are the leading cause of death in the U.S., surpassing fatal car accidents. Since 2000, more than 300,000 people have died from fatal opioid overdoses—more than five times the total number of American lives lost during the Vietnam War. In 2016, Humboldt County, of which Eureka is the county seat, had the second highest average overdose rate in California. Of the 1,925 people who died from opioid overdoses in California that year, 33 were from Humboldt County.

As is true around the country, the increase in prescription opioid use in Eureka was followed closely by a dramatic rise in heroin use. As prescription opioids become harder to obtain, many patients turned to heroin, which is often significantly cheaper but delivers the same effect as other opioids. The costs to Eureka and its departments are substantial. Humboldt Bay Fire (HBF) has incurred substantial costs from responding to overdoses, deaths, and injuries related to opioid abuse. HBF is close to finalizing a protocol to have all EMTs trained in the administration of Narcan, an expensive medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. A significant portion of the Eureka Police Department’s (EPD) resources is now devoted to responding to the opioid crisis. EPD expends significant resources fighting drug trafficking, as well as responding to an increase in opioid incidents, including overdoses, and has instituted a protocol to train and distribute Narcan kits to its officers.
The City of Eureka has retained Keller Rohrback as outside counsel on a contingency-fee basis. Keller Rohrback is a law firm based in Seattle, with offices in California, and routinely litigates against the largest corporate defendants in the country. Keller Rohrback has already filed numerous opioid cases on behalf of counties, cities, and tribes as well as on behalf of Humboldt County. The City of Eureka joins these other entities from across the country seeking to hold manufacturers and distributors liable for the harms they have inflicted on American communities and the financial burden placed upon taxpayers.
Contact: Kim Bergel, Mayor Pro Tem 707.616.2178
Greg Sparks, City Manager 707.441.4140
CITY OF EUREKA City Manager
531 K Street Eureka, California 95501-1165
(707) 441-4144 ● FAX (707) 441-4148

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