Ohio Supreme Court Overturns $650 Million Opioid Judgment Against Pharmacies

The court ruled that Ohio's product liability law prevents public nuisance claims against CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart in opioid-related lawsuits.

The Ohio Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that the Ohio Product Liability Act bars counties from using public nuisance claims to seek damages from pharmacies in opioid-related cases.
This decision jeopardizes a $650.9 million federal court judgment awarded to Lake and Trumbull counties in 2022 for their opioid crisis response.
The court clarified that the product liability law only allows for compensatory damages, not equitable relief, as sought by the counties.
The ruling is expected to influence similar lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies across the United States, with over 3,000 cases consolidated in federal court.
Plaintiffs' attorneys criticized the decision as a major setback for communities combating the opioid epidemic but vowed to pursue other legal avenues.