IN RE CVS OPIOID INSURANCE LITIGATION

Consol. C.A. No. N22C-02-045 PRW CCLD.

301 A.3d 1194 (2023)

IN RE: CVS OPIOID INSURANCE LITIGATION.

Superior Court of Delaware.

Decided: August 25, 2023.

Written Decision Withdrawn, Corrected, and Reissued: September 14, 2023.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Garrett B. Moritz, Esquire , and R. Garret Rice, Esquire , Ross Aronstam & Moritz LLP, Wilmington, Delaware; Michael S. Shuster, Esquire , Daniel M. Sullivan, Esquire , Blair E. Kaminsky, Esquire , and Daniel M. Horowitz, Esquire , Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP, New York, New York, Attorneys for ACE Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Federal Insurance Company, Indemnity Insurance Company of North America, Vigilant Insurance Company, and Westchester Fire Insurance Company.

Robert J. Katzenstein, Esquire , and Julie M. O'Dell, Esquire , Smith Katzenstein & Jenkins LLP, Wilmington Delaware; Christopher J. St. Jeanos, Esquire , Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, New York, New York, Attorneys for American Home Assurance Company, Lexington Insurance Company, National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, P.A., and New Hampshire Insurance Company.

Bruce W. McCullough, Esquire , Bodell Bové, LLC, Wilmington, Delaware; Karen M. Dixon, Esquire , Skarzynski Marick & Black LLP, Chicago, Illinois, Attorneys for American Zurich Insurance Company, Zurich American Insurance Company, and American Guarantee & Liability Insurance Company.

Joseph B. Cicero, Esquire , Chipman Brown Cicero & Cole, LLP, Wilmington, Delaware; Adam H. Fleischer, Esquire , R. Patrick Bedell, Esquire , and Allyson C. Spacht, Esquire , Batescarey LLP, Chicago, Illinois, Attorneys for Great American Alliance Insurance Company, Great American Insurance Company of New York, Great American Insurance Company, and Tamarack American, Inc.

Louis J. Rizzo, Jr., Esquire , Reger Rizzo & Darnall LLP, Wilmington, Delaware; Monica T. Sullivan, Esquire , Matthew J. Fink, Esquire , Leena Soni, Esquire , and Stephanie M. Flowers, Esquire , Nicolaides Fink Thorpe Michaelides Sullivan LLP, Chicago, Illinois, Attorneys for Endurance American Insurance Company, and North American Capacity Insurance Company.

Sean J. Bellew, Esquire , Bellew LLC, Wilmington, Delaware; Michael A. Kotula, Esquire , Rivkin Radler LLP, Attorneys for Allianz Insurance Company, Fireman's Fund Insurance Company, Interstate Indemnity Company, and National Surety Company.

Loren R. Barron, Esquire , Weber Gallagher, Wilmington, Delaware, Attorney for Gemini Insurance Company, and Berkley National Insurance Company.

Wade A. Adams, III, Esquire , Law Offices of Wade A. Adams, III, Newark, Delaware; Bryce L. Friedman, Esquire , and Matthew C. Penny, Esquire , Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York, New York, Attorneys for Discover Property and Casualty Company, St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, Gulf Underwriters Insurance Company, United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, and The Travelers Indemnity Company.

Thad J. Bracegirdle, Esquire , Sarah T. Andrade, Esquire , and Emily L. Skaug, Esquire Bayard, P.A., Wilmington, Delaware; Edward B. Parks, II, Esquire , and Sara Hunkler, Esquire , Ruggeri Parks Weinberg LLP, Washington, D.C., Attorneys for First State Insurance Company, and Twin City Fire Insurance Company.

Peter B. Ladig, Esquire , Elizabeth A. Powers, Esquire , Bayard, P.A., Wilmington, Delaware; Kevin T. Coughlin, Esquire , Suzanne C. Midlige, Esquire , and Patrick K. Coughlin, Esquire , Tanya M. Mascarich, Esquire , Zachary M. Sherman, Esquire , Coughlin Midlige & Garland LLP, Morristown, New Jersey, Attorneys for Arrowood Indemnity Company.

Kevin. J. Connors, Esquire , Marshall Dennehey Warner Colman & Goggin P.C., Wilmington, Delaware; Cheryl P. Vollweiler, Esquire , Skarzynski Marick & Black LLP, New York, New York, Attorneys for AXIS Insurance Company.

Philip Trainer, Jr., Esquire , and Marie M. Degnan, Esquire , Ashby & Geddes, Wilmington, Delaware; Robert A. Kole, Esquire , and Caroline M. Trusty, Esquire , Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP, Boston, Massachusetts, Attorneys for Liberty Insurance Underwriters, Inc., Liberty International Underwriters, and The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company.

Marc S. Casarino, Esquire , Kennedys CMK LLP, Wilmington, Delaware; Christopher R. Carroll, Esquire , Jillian D. Dennehy, Esquire , and Joshua S. Wirtshafter, Esquire , Kennedys CMK LLP, Basking Ridge, New Jersey, Attorneys for TIG Insurance Company.

Kathleen M. Miller, Esquire , and Robert K. Beste, Esquire , Smith Katzenstein & Jenkins LLP, Wilmington Delaware; Keith Moskowitz, Esquire , Dentons US LLP, Chicago, Illinois; Kathryn Guinn, Esquire , Dentons US LLP, Denver, Colorado; Deborah J. Campbell, Esquire , Dentons US LLP, St. Louis, Missouri, Attorneys for XL Insurance America, Inc., Greenwich Insurance Company, and The Continental Insurance Company.

David J. Baldwin, Esquire , Peter C. McGivney, Esquire , and Zachary J. Schnapp, Esquire , Berger Harris LLP, Wilmington, Delaware; Kirk Pasich, Esquire , Pasich LLP, Los Angeles, California; Jeffrey L. Schulman, Esquire , and Peter A. Halprin, Esquire , Tae E. Andrews, Esquire , Pasich LLP, New York, New York, Attorneys for CVS Health Corporation.


OPINION AND ORDER

I. INTRODUCTION

The opioid crisis in the United States has produced countless lawsuits brought by governmental entities against suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors of those drugs (the "Opioid Lawsuits"). To recoup the costs of defending against and settling these lawsuits...

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