OVERVIEW   |   IN THE NEWS

Overview

As the opioid crisis continues to grow and claims more than 130 lives every day in the United States, Hall Booth Smith created the Opioid Strategic Team to defend physicians, surgeons, pain management specialists, and other health care providers as well as physician groups, hospitals, surgical centers, urgent care clinics, and other organizations on the full range of opioid and prescription-related claims they may face.

Health care providers face numerous threats and challenges such as civil lawsuits, malpractice claims, internal investigations, disciplinary actions, as well as Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) audits and search warrants, investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and other government enforcement actions.

Opioid, prescription abuse, and health care fraud cases require specific knowledge and experience, such as a deep understanding of underlying health care laws and regulations, pending cases before other courts, precedent-setting verdicts and judgments, and appellate capabilities.

HBS’s Opioid Strategic Team includes senior partners, experienced associates, legal nurses, and expert witnesses who have worked together to defend clients in numerous cases across the Southeastern United States and beyond.

Our approach in critically assessing the facts of the case and evaluating risk exposure help us create negotiation and courtroom strategies that ensure a strong defense that protects each client’s rights and best interests.

The HBS Opioid Strategic Team also counsels clients on establishing best practices and oversight for prescription policies at practices, hospitals, surgical centers, and other health care facilities to ensure compliance with the Controlled Substance Act and minimize risk. We also work with clients to conduct internal investigations when issues arise and guide them through the best strategy for effectively and efficiently resolving those matters.

In the News

Tallahassee Welcomes Managing Director of Government Affairs Ben M. Donaldson

Hall Booth Smith is excited to announce that it is expanding its Government Affairs and Lobbying services with the addition of Ben M. Donaldson as Managing Director of Government Affairs. Ben is a creative and driven problem solver with more than 20 years of experience advocating for clients’ interests in the public and private sectors.
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“Landmark Decision” in Ohio Finds CVS, Walgreens & Walmart Liable in Opioid Epidemic

Written by: J. Brent Allen, Esq. A federal jury in Cleveland recently found that the actions by pharmacy operators helped fuel the opioid epidemic in Ohio, which a county attorney called a “landmark decision” in the first trial the companies have faced over the drug crisis in America. After deliberating for six days, the jury
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COVID-19 Pandemic Threatens Opioid Sobriety

For many people who are battling opioid addiction or achieved sobriety, there is a new threat of relapse: the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Mandatory quarantines, shelter-in-place orders and new daily stressors such as the loss of childcare and the demands of running remote school are creating new challenges for people who are or have been addicted.
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Debate Swirls Around How to Use Opioid Settlement Funds

Tens of billions of dollars in forthcoming opioid litigation settlement funds have public health policy leaders and elected officials debating over how to use the funds in the most effective and impactful way to address the root causes of opioid addiction and improve access to treatment programs. One thing is clear: there is a consensus
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Seniors Impacted by Dual Health Crises: COVID & Opioid Misuse

Elderly people are facing a confluence of health crises right now: COVID-19 and opioid misuse. Seniors are already the most heavily impacted population for COVID-19 hospitalizations and death rates, and a concurrent acceleration of opioid misuse places additional stress on vulnerable seniors. In 2018, Medicare recipients were given an average of 5 opioid prescriptions and
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Leadership

J. Brent Allen

J. Brent Allen

Partner | Jacksonville Office

T: 904.236.4507
E: ballen@hallboothsmith.com

Full Team

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