An Indiana couple who lost their son to an OxyContin addiction called the opioid maker Purdue Pharma's attempt to reach financial settlements with survivors after it reaped billions from the drug a "slap in the face."
The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a billion dollar settlement with Purdue Pharma that would have shielded members of the Sackler family, which controls the company, from civil lawsuits.
The Sackler family had agreed to pay $6 billion to settle opioid claims as long as they were released from any future liability.
For Kristy Nelson, who lost her 20-year-old son, Bryan Fentz, to an opioid overdose 15 years ago, and her husband, Bill, the ruling was welcome news.
"A victory today is a win for us and I'm certainly not going to go away now," she told Fox 59.
Bill Nelson, Fentz's stepfather, said no amount of money can bring him back.
"[Paying] $3,500 for the loss of our son over 18 years; that's about $194 a year," Bill Nelson told the station. "Purdue Pharma at the time was making $3 billion a year. It's a slap in the face."
Kristy Nelson said they still remember how their son struggled to overcome his addiction to OxyContin after he was prescribed the drug after a car crash.
"It was just so strong," she said. "It was stronger than he was at the time. And he's one of the few that didn't make it out to the other side."
She said the doctor at the time reassured them that the opioid was safe.
"'Don't worry about it, you can't get addicted,'" she told the station. "And of course now, we know the information the doctor had was false from Purdue Pharma."
