News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Six Upper Cumberland Counties are seeking damages to their community caused by the opioid epidemic.
District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway said he is optimistic about his case against pill manufacturers, distributors and individual doctors. Dunaway said the goal is to hold those named parties accountable for the burden they have put on rural counties.
“Reimburse the costs of medical and law enforcement needs and to also potentially establish treatment centers in rural Tennessee that we currently don’t have,” Dunaway said. “And increase the number of treatment beds in our state.”
Dunaway said Clay, Cumberland, Dekalb, Pickett, Putnam and White Counties have agreed to be named as plaintiffs. He said there are three different lawsuits filed in Tennessee Court.
Dunaway said his case is the third of three lawsuits. He said his case will move towards trial after the first case which is set for late July in Sullivan County.
“We look forward to that and after the trial in July we’ll reevaluate,” Dunaway said. “There may be some movement towards settlement, we just don’t know but we look forward to this first trial and see where we go.”
Dunaway said there are many costs that the public doesn’t realize for these affected to communities. He said addiction in these communities result in babies born addicted needing treatment and law enforcement working to keep opioids off the streets.
However, he said getting money back for these counties is not the only goal of the lawsuit.
“The other thing, is we’ve already seen some changes in the way opiates are prescribed in the last two years since these suits were filed,” Dunaway said. “So on a practical matter it has already caused some change in the way opiates are provided and prescribed. So we’re pleased with that.”
Dunaway said this case was filed under a statutory provision in Tennessee law called the Drug Dealer Liability Act. Dunaway said the biggest difference in this case compared to others seen in national headlines is this case was filed in Tennessee and will be heard by a state judge, opposed to federal.
