Negligence Claims Asserted Against Physician Deemed Valid Under Virginia State Law, Oxycontin Case Remanded

ABINGDON, Va.-An Oxycontin products liability action was remanded to state court when a federal judge ruled that the plaintiffs' negligence claims against a non-diverse physician and his employer were valid causes of action under Virginia State law. Cordill, et al., v. Purdue Pharma, L.P., et al., No. 02-CV-00121 (W.D. Va.).

U.S. District Judge James P. Jones' Nov. 5 opinion stated that the plaintiffs had a 'reasonable basis for recovery' against the physician and his employer and that under Virginia state law allegations of negligence are 'sufficient without specifying the particulars.'

The plaintiffs' complaint, which was filed June 13 in the …