CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WOWK) — The first federal lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors started jury selection on Wednesday. That case will serve as a bellwether trial for other municipalities suing the companies. As for the individuals suing, they are worried their cases have been forgotten.
“There has been talk of settlement in that litigation but only with those counties and cities, there’s been no provision made for the babies,” said Attorney Booth Goodwin.
Goodwin is seeking a portion of these settlements for the most vulnerable victims of the opioid crisis, babies. Goodwin has dozens of these cases waiting to be filed. He filed one of the cases a year ago, but it has been swept up in the other opioid litigation and put on hold.
Goodwin says he’d like the judge to send the case back to Charleston where it was filed so that he can move forward in getting reparations for his clients. His fear is if states and cities’ lawsuits move forward first, there may be no money left for the children who could need help for the rest of their lives to repair the damage opioids have done.
“They’re going to need treatment into the future and if things get settled up and these big drug companies are allowed to walk then what about these babies?” said Goodwin.
