Walmart Beats AIG in Opioid Epidemic Legal Defense Insurance Row

Jan. 3, 2024, 12:05 AM UTC

American Insurance Group Inc. units must pay for Walmart Inc.’s legal defense costs in opioid lawsuits brought by government entities, an Arkansas state court said.

“AIG owes Walmart a defense obligation” under commercial general liability policies for lawsuits alleging the retail and pharmacy chain negligently oversold opioid painkillers, Arkansas Circuit Judge John R. Scott said in a Dec. 29 decision. The judge rejected AIG’s argument that the underlying lawsuits didn’t allege damages stemming from a physical injury—a precondition for coverage.

Walmart has been sued by government entities seeking to recover billions of dollars in financial losses responding to ...

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