Baron & Budd Obtains Record $500 Million Settlement Against Walgreens in New Mexico AG Opioid Suit

With this settlement, the total opioid litigation recovery for the State of New Mexico is more than $1 billion.

Today, the nationally recognized attorneys at Baron & Budd, with shareholders Daniel Alberstone and Mark Pifko serving as co-lead counsel along with Peter Mougey and Jeff Gaddy from Levin, Papantonio, Rafferty; Anthony Majestro from Powell & Majestro; and Luis Robles of Robles Rael Anaya, announced a record-breaking $500 million settlement agreement with pharmaceutical giant Walgreens concerning the company's role in the opioid epidemic that has ravaged the State of New Mexico. This Walgreens settlement in New Mexico is one of the largest separate settlements obtained from a single opioid defendant in the country and the largest settlement obtained from a single defendant by the attorney general in the State's history.

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Baron & Budd Shareholders Mark Pifko and Dan Alberstone (Photo: Business Wire)

Baron & Budd represented the State of New Mexico during a two-month bench trial, where it was argued that Walgreens failed in its "corresponding responsibility," a duty under state and federal law requiring pharmacies to recognize suspicious, red flag prescriptions, and refuse to fill them if they are not issued for a legitimate medical purpose. As a result, Walgreens dispensed millions of potentially harmful opioids into communities across New Mexico.