In a coordinated legal strategy, seven counties in east Tennessee and five counties plus one city in west Tennessee have filed separate lawsuits against consulting firm McKinsey & Co. over its involvement in the opioid crisis.
A third federal lawsuit is expected from a group of counties in Middle Tennessee, according to Greeneville, Tennessee, attorney Crystal Jessee, who is part of a team of attorneys representing Tennessee counties filing suit. Jessee did not specify which Middle Tennessee counties were involved ahead of the expected filing.
The Tennessee counties are seeking an unspecific amount in damages from the giant global management consulting firm over its role as an adviser to Purdue Pharma, the maker of the opioid drug, OxyContin, whose use and abuse continues to exact a devastating toll on families and communities in Tennessee and across the nation.
Wednesday’s lawsuits were filed 10 months after Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery III announced the state of Tennessee had joined a multi-state settlement with McKinsey, involving 47 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories for $573 million. Tennessee’s share of the settlement is $15.1 million.
“We have gotten nothing from the attorney general saying any of these dollars will go to counties,” Jessee said. “We think individual counties have the right to pursue this. We do not believe the state attorney general has the right to pursue legal action on their behalf.”