PRINCETON, W.Va. (WVVA) – More opioid lawsuit settlement funding was presented to the Mercer County Commission during its Tuesday meeting.
Truman Chafin, an attorney representing cities and counties during the settlement process, gave the Commission a check for $341,446 through the West Virginia First Foundation.
The foundation oversees and distributes funding from the massive opioid lawsuit settlements involving drug manufacturers, pharmacies and other entities.
Mercer County has already collected more than $2.7 million of its share, and more settlement funding is coming.
Chafin said Purdue and Secondary Manufacturers have recently settled, but it is too early to know the exact amount that Mercer County will receive from that when the money is distributed to municipalities statewide.
Mercer County is also a plaintiff in the Pharmacy Benefit Managers case that is scheduled to go to trial next year, Chafin said, but the amount of settlement funds will get smaller.
Commissioner Brian Blankenship said Truman goes to bat for Mercer County in obtaining the county’s share and has played a big part in this process.
The county now has a task force in place to help decide how to most effectively spend the settlement funds.
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