CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - A group of West Virginia attorneys are asking a judge to force the state to release the names of babies born exposed to drugs as part of the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy case.
The lawyers want the names so they can send families a notice of pending litigation and seek compensation for them, The Herald-Dispatch reports. They filed a complaint in Kanawha County Circuit Court seeking the names.
The deadline for individuals and entities to file a claim against Purdue Pharma in the bankruptcy case is July 30, according to Booth Goodwin, of Goodwin & Goodwin LLP in Charleston. Attorneys are concerned that many may not know they qualify for compensation because the bankruptcy court is not allowed access to their information. That includes families with babies that were born diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome, Goodwin said.
“Children born with NAS are the most innocent victims of the drug crisis,” he said. “These children and their families deserve to know about legal proceedings that could provide them resources to help them throughout their lives.”
Attorneys believe a state registry identifies about 4,000 West Virginia children diagnosed with the syndrome.
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