Opioid-related payouts to be less than expected

The New York Times reports that lawyers representing U.S. states and cities suing opioid markers and distributors now concede that the prospective payouts will be much less than originally expected.

Attorneys from all sides have ramped up efforts to reach a national settlement before the start of a New York trial next month. The total amount will likely be less than half of what four large tobacco companies agreed to pay (more than $206B over 25 years) in 1998. In an interview, chief negotiator Joe Rice said, “People would say I was crazy if I thought we could get over $100 billion.”

Nephron Research’s Eric Percher, who is following the litigation, believes the amount will be $75B – 85B.

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https://seekingalpha.com/news/3542632-opioid-related-payouts-to-be-less-expected-nyt