A Statement by Mayor Joseph C. Sullivan
Mayor Sullivan announced today that the Town of Braintree will join in a lawsuit against nationwide opioid manufacturers and distributors to hold them accountable for their role in fueling the opioid epidemic. Through this litigation the Town seeks to recover damages that Braintree has suffered due to the opioid crisis, such as the costs of opioid prevention programs, costs incurred by first responders, court and crime-related expenses, physical and emotional damages as well as other related societal costs.
“This will not solve all of Braintree’s opioid problems nor can it fully repay our community for the immeasurable burdens and tragedies this epidemic has brought to so many of our families and our community as a whole instead, this legal action builds upon our fight to combat the opioid crisis against these companies that have long put profit above people. Through our Community Partnership on Substance Use we remain focused and energized on meeting the challenges of this opioid epidemic and in seeing that this strong declaration underlines our continued commitment to confront this national health crisis. We are putting these drug producers on notice that they need to take responsibility for the harm imposed on our community” said Sullivan.
To represent the Town, Mayor Sullivan has retained the Boston law firm Sugarman, Rogers, Barshak & Cohen, P.C. and the Washington D.C. law firm Motley Rice, LLC. Motley Rice is a leader in the national opioid litigation, and Sugarman Rogers is known for its expertise in Massachusetts mass tort and government law. These firms will not charge Braintree a fee but will collect a percentage of any settlement or damages the defendants pay.
After much research, the Mayor is confident that this legal team will best represent the Town’s interests in pursuing recovery against the drug manufacturers and distributors whose deceptive marketing and sales practices fueled the opioid epidemic and continue to cause long-lasting and tragic harm to citizens and financial strain on Town resources in Braintree and across the country.