CHICAGO – Suburban Burbank has become one of the latest communities to sue makers and distributors of so-called opioid painkillers.
The city of Burbank filed a complaint on Nov. 21 in Cook County Circuit Court against Purdue Pharma LP, Abbott Laboratories, Johnson & Johnson, and others, alleging consumer fraud and other counts.
According to the complaint, Burbank alleges it has incurred substantial economic, administrative and social costs relating to opioid addiction and abuse, including expenses for educational programs and social services, and addiction treatment and care management for residents.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants created a false perception of the safety of opioids to expand the market and "realize blockbuster profits."
The plaintiff alleges the defendants misrepresented the truth about opioid addiction and directly engaged in untrue, false and misleading advertising.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment against defendants; actual or compensatory damages; restitution; costs of suit; attorney fees and further relief. It is represented by Allen N. Schwartz of Kralovec, Jambois & Schwartz in Chicago and Frank Castiglione, John Thomas Donovan and Kasif Khowaja of The Khowaja Law Firm LLC in Chicago.
The drugmakers and distributors have been targeted by dozens of Illinois counties and municipalities, and face thousands of actions nationwide, with most now pending in a consolidated action in an Ohio federal court.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 18-L-12659