The Santee Sioux Nation, Omaha Tribe, and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska filed lawsuits against drug manufacturers and distributors of prescription painkillers over these companies’ part in the creation and continued participation in the opioid epidemic affecting millions of people in the United States.
The tribes join the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, which filed its lawsuit against the multi-billion dollar companies seeking repayment as sovereign governments for the damages caused by the epidemic on April 25.
"The four Nebraska Tribal Chairmen and their Councils collaborated to assure that their efforts together strengthen and emphasize the importance of relief for their tribal governments and to underscore the impact on their members," said attorney David Domina, who is representing all four tribes along with Knox County.
Domina also traveled to Cleveland to attend U.S. District Judge Dan Polster’s open-court session on Thursday, May 10. Judge Polster is overseeing more than 600 lawsuits filed by government entities across the nation and held the session before meeting with lawyers for the pharmaceutical companies, distributors, drug manufacturers, and the government entities.
During the open-court session, Domina informed the judge that he traveled to Cleveland to speak for the Native American tribes, and ensure that they aren’t pushed off to the side.
"Those people have been marginalized in every significant thing that has happened in the history of the United States, and they want to not be marginalized in these proceedings," Domina said.
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