ETHYLENE OXIDE LAWSUITS

Ethylene Oxide or EtO is a chemical used in manufacturing and sterilization. As an antimicrobial pesticide registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ethylene Oxide is commonly used as a sterilizing agent for medical equipment. In fact, about half of all medical devices in the United States today are sterilized with this chemical. It is also used to sterilize food products such as spices, herbs, walnuts, and sesame seeds. In the manufacturing industry, EtO is used to make plastics, detergents, antifreeze, and textiles.

While Ethylene Oxide is a popular chemical for sterilization and manufacturing, the EPA has classified it as a known human carcinogen after studies showed that inhaling EtO emissions may cause cancer. People who have been diagnosed with serious health conditions and worked with Ethylene Oxide or lived in an area where the chemical was being emitted into the air have been taking legal actions. In these lawsuits, victims are claiming they were not properly warned of EtO’s health risks.

In 2022, a jury awarded $363 million to a woman who claimed Ethylene Oxide emissions caused her breast cancer. In 2023, Sterigenics and its parent company, Sotera Health, settled hundreds of Ethylene Oxide lawsuits by agreeing to pay victims a total of $408 million.

Attorney Ethan Vessels accepts Ethylene Oxide cases in both Ohio and West Virginia. If you or a loved one were exposed to this toxic chemical, and later developed cancer, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact Ethan for a free, no obligation consultation. He can be reached by calling 740-374-5346 or sending a message here from this website. 

According to the EPA, inhaling ethylene oxide over a prolonged period can increase a person’s risk of developing various types of cancers, including:

• Bladder Cancer
• Brain Cancer
• Breast Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Lung Cancer
• Myeloma
• Lymphocytic Leukemia
• Other Blood and Lymph Cancers
• Ovarian Cancer
• Pancreatic Cancer
• Prostate Cancer
• Stomach Cancer

Other health conditions associated with breathing air contaminated with Ethylene Oxide may include:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Memory Loss
• Impaired Eye and Hand Coordination
• Cognitive Impairment
• Miscarriages
• Eye Damage
• Nerve damage
  

Many of the people who have been exposed to toxic levels of EtO worked inside a sterilization or manufacturing facility where the chemical was used. However, there are also people who were exposed to Ethylene Oxide for a prolonged period that never stepped foot into one of these plants. Instead, they lived near one of these facilities and were breathing in this dangerous chemical’s emissions that were released into the air.

Pesticides like EtO that are registered with the EPA are periodically reviewed to evaluate performance and potential risks to the environment and human health. In 2020, the EPA released a Draft Risk Assessment on Ethylene Oxide. In this Assessment, the EPA found that inhaling the chemical over many years increases the risk of cancer. Other findings include:

• Children who are exposed to Ethylene Oxide for prolonged periods are at risk of developing cancer later in life.

• The presence of EtO in the air surrounding commercial facilities that use the chemical is a primary concern and needs to be monitored and measured. 

For more than sixteen years, people in Ohio and West Virginia have been contacting Ethan Vessels for legal advice, guidance, and representation when they or a loved one have been injured by toxic chemicals such as Ethylene Oxide.

Lawsuits involving dangerous chemicals can be highly complex and difficult to prove. That’s why an attorney with Ethan’s experience, reputation, and resources is needed. Ethan typically handles these cases with co-counsel at no additional expense to the client.

Ethan is a proven trial attorney who adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards. His focus is representing those who have been injured due to the negligence of others, including companies who contaminate living environments with toxic chemical emissions but fail to properly warn people of all the risks. 

If you or a loved one were exposed to EtO and have been diagnosed with cancer, please contact Ethan Vessels for a free, no obligation consultation. He will answer all your questions and provide you with the feedback you need to decide whether you should pursue a claim and the amount of time you have remaining to file a lawsuit. The meeting and its details will be kept strictly confidential.

When he accepts Ethylene Oxide cases, he typically works on a contingent fee basis, which means there is no fee for his legal services until and unless a settlement or verdict is reached.