Cancer victims sue over toxic gas emissions from B. Braun's Lehigh Valley plant, claiming 3 died

Toxic gas released from the B. Braun Medical plant in Lehigh County caused the cancers that sickened more than a dozen people and killed three more, lawsuits against the German medical device company allege.

Ethylene oxide used to sterilize products has been vented into the air around the Hanover Township plant for decades, the lawsuits filed Tuesday in Philadelphia County Court claim. For people who live, work, shop and otherwise spent time near the Marcon Boulevard facility, that has meant years of exposure to the cancer-causing gas, the suits say.

Philadelphia law firm Kline and Specter said Wednesday it represents the families of three people who died of cancer and 13 other people who developed breast, brain, blood and pelvic cancers after they were allegedly exposed to ethylene oxide released from the plant. The plaintiffs live in Allentown, Bethlehem, Coopersburg, Kunkletown, Northampton and Whitehall Township but spent significant time near the plant.

“This plant is deadly. Its dangerous emissions need to be curtailed now and the wrongful harms must be compensated and punished quickly and fairly,” said Shanin Specter, who represents the plaintiffs with colleagues Tom Bosworth and Aaron Dunbar.

Read more: https://www.mcall.com/news/pennsylvania/mc-nws-pa-b-braun-hanover-ethylene-oxide-lawsuit-20210505-7gco42nkh5e5tcwucxwjumcomy-story.html