Montana will sign onto a proposed national settlement with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family, for their role in sparking the opioid crisis.
Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out a proposed settlement from Purdue and the Sacklers because the family would have received immunity from all civil lawsuits.This new deal only prohibits entities that sign onto the settlement from suing the family.
The $7.4 billion settlement will mostly be paid out by the Sacklers over a 15-year period. A smaller amount will be paid out by Purdue. The family will also give up ownership of the company.
Montana is projected to receive about $16.5 million, according to Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s office. That’s $4 million more than the state would’ve received under the previous settlement proposal. Knudsen announced he will sign onto the deal.
The settlement still requires court approval.
