Judge Rules Against Johnson & Johnson In Landmark Opioid Case

Cleveland County, Oklahoma, District Judge Thad Balkman ruled Monday that Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries exacerbated the state’s opioid drug crisis. He ordered the company to pay $572 million to help stop the abuse of painkilling drugs. The ruling is expected to influence negotiations over about 1,500 similar lawsuits filed by the state, local, and tribal governments.