Michigan will file a lawsuit tomorrow (Tue.) against drug manufacturers for damages related to the epidemic of opioid abuse.
The lawsuit will be filed in Wayne County Circuit Court. That venue was chosen because the Detroit area has been hit hard by the opioid abuse epidemic – although the problem exists across Michigan. This will the first time Michigan files its own lawsuit seeking damages related to the opioid crisis. Several cities and counties have already filed their own legal actions.
The lawsuit will be formally announced at a news conference that includes Governor Gretchen Whitmer and state Attorney General Dana Nessel. The state has hired a group of law firms experienced in opioid litigation to handle the lawsuit. Health officials estimate there were 2 thousand opioid-related deaths in Michigan last year.