Prescription painkillers addiction is plaguing the country, as the opioid epidemic continues to inflict major socioeconomic damage in different counties.

Opioid manufacturers are currently facing legal action for their alleged role in the rise of prescription painkillers addiction rates, with many lawsuits alleging the companies deliberately downplayed the addictive nature of the drugs during marketing campaigns.

One of the most recent opioid addiction lawsuits comes from Jasper County in Illinois, in which county officials filed legal action on behalf of themselves and their citizens.

The opioid addiction lawsuit names a number of different companies as defendants, including Purdue Pharmaceuticals and Teva Pharmaceuticals for their roles as drug manufacturers. In addition, the lawsuit is taking action against drug distributors alleging they also played a role in the prescription painkillers addiction crisis in Jasper County.

According to the opioid addiction lawsuit, the companies sold millions of prescription opioids throughout Jasper County and caused a widespread prescription painkillers addiction crisis.

The lawsuit claims the companies deliberately presented false advertising and deceptive marketing statements, which claimed opioids were ideal choices for short-term pain treatments. This allegedly caused numerous residents to develop prescription painkillers addiction, putting a serious socioeconomic strain on the county.

Overview of Prescription Painkillers Addiction Epidemic

Jasper County alleges the majority of its socioeconomic resources are delegated to substance abuse treatment, with numerous crimes and deaths associated with prescription painkillers addiction.

Jasper County officials further allege the opioid addiction crisis has become a public health and safety concern, as measures have been taken to identify early signs of opioid addiction and placing immediate interventions. Along with Jasper County, the entire state of Illinois has been impacted by the ongoing opioid epidemic.

According to the claim, more Illinois residents have died from an opioid overdose in 2014 that homicide by 45% and automobile accidents by 25%. Overall it was estimated in 2016 that opioid overdose had taken the lives of 1,889 state residents between 2008 to 2014, with the CDC recognizing Illinois as one of the states most greatly impacted by the opioid crisis in the country.

The CDC stated Illinois experienced a high fatal opioid overdose rate from 2014 to 2015 at 7.6%, and previously from 2013 to 2014 with 8.3%.

Furthermore, the CDC has identified prescription painkillers addiction as the strongest risk factor for potential heroin addiction. This is because opioids and heroin share the same addictive nature, so patients often seek out the substance once their opioid prescription is complete. The opioid epidemic has impacted the United States as a whole, with drug overdoses killing approximately 64,000 people in 2016.

This opioid addiction lawsuit alleges pharmaceutical companies like Purdue and Teva knew about the highly addictive nature of their medications, but still marketed them for short-term pain. These pharmaceutical companies also allegedly contradicted data the CDC produced, which showed prescription painkillers addiction to be a significant risk in conjunction with opioid use.

Jasper County is seeking damages for negligence and failure to warn, along with compensation for its numerous socioeconomic damages.

This Opioid Addiction Lawsuit is People of Jasper County, et al. v. Teva Pharmaceuticals, et al., Case No. 3:17-cv-01342, in the U.S. District Court of Southern Illinois.

In general, opioid addiction lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual opioid addictino lawsuit or opioid addiction class action lawsuit is best for you. Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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