June 4, 2026
Liability in the Age of Addiction: Opioids, Algorithms, and Insurance Coverage
Location: London International Disputes Week (LIDW) 2026
On June 4, Monica T. Sullivan will present on the landscape of addiction-related claims at the London International Disputes Week 2026, alongside Tim McCaw and Rob Stevenson of Simmons & Simmons LLP and Rani Noakes of 4 Pump Court.
The landscape of addiction claims has fundamentally changed over the past decade, presenting increasingly complex legal, regulatory, and insurance challenges for corporates, insurers, policymakers, and government entities. While earlier litigation focused on tobacco and prescription opioids, more recent claims have extended to sectors including healthcare, life sciences, social media, and digital content distribution. Corporate defendants across these industries, including manufacturers and platform providers as well as distributors, retailers, and consultants, face potential exposure to mass tort litigation in the United States. These developments also carry significant implications for insurers, with long-tail exposures potentially spanning multiple policy periods.
Hosted by Nicolaides, Simmons & Simmons LLP, and 4 Pump Court, the session will explore developments in the science of addiction, reflect on lessons learned from prior litigation, and draw comparisons to emerging claims involving social media platforms. The discussion will also examine the use of public nuisance theories to expand potential exposure and consider the resulting implications for corporate defendants and their insurers.
For more information and to register, please visit the LIDW26 event page.
The landscape of addiction claims has fundamentally changed over the past decade, presenting increasingly complex legal, regulatory, and insurance challenges for corporates, insurers, policymakers, and government entities. While earlier litigation focused on tobacco and prescription opioids, more recent claims have extended to sectors including healthcare, life sciences, social media, and digital content distribution. Corporate defendants across these industries, including manufacturers and platform providers as well as distributors, retailers, and consultants, face potential exposure to mass tort litigation in the United States. These developments also carry significant implications for insurers, with long-tail exposures potentially spanning multiple policy periods.
Hosted by Nicolaides, Simmons & Simmons LLP, and 4 Pump Court, the session will explore developments in the science of addiction, reflect on lessons learned from prior litigation, and draw comparisons to emerging claims involving social media platforms. The discussion will also examine the use of public nuisance theories to expand potential exposure and consider the resulting implications for corporate defendants and their insurers.
For more information and to register, please visit the LIDW26 event page.