Establishing your ethylene oxide claim: When your attorney is also an industrial hygienist

Ethylene oxide is a colorless gas at room temperature, and it has widespread industrial use in the production of antifreeze and other chemical reagents. Some industries also use EtO as a fumigant, insecticide, or sterilizing agent. Sterilization industries use a smaller amount of EtO than production plants, but they strongly impact the health of their workers and the environment. Many facilities are required to sterilize, transport, and store medical equipment and other sterilized products.

Ethylene oxide cases require expert science and legal opinion

Ethylene oxide has been recognized as a human carcinogen since 2000, according to the US National Toxicology Program. It has since been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the US Environmental Protection Agency. Still, many of the facilities in the US continue to use and emit ethylene oxide, putting their workers and nearby residents at risk of the serious health consequences of this chemical. This is likely due to the contrasting opinions of experts on the safety of EtO, as well as the numerous scientific studies funded by industrial giants that claim EtO exposure is safe.

To successfully file an EtO claim against these EtO-emitting companies, you need to establish a connection between your EtO exposure and an EtO-associated medical condition, which includes:

• Leukemia
• Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Multiple myeloma
• Liver cancer
• Lung cancer
• Breast cancer (male, female)
• Stomach cancer

These are just some of the challenges of filing an ethylene oxide claim, and why a law firm with an industrial hygienist expert can give you a strong advantage.

How ELG Law's industrial hygienist can help you strengthen your ethylene oxide claim

Industrial hygienists are applied scientists and engineers who measure workplace hazards and how they can cause discomfort, illness, and significant health damage to people and the environment. They play a crucial role in evaluating toxic exposure in workplaces, including workplace air monitoring for harmful chemicals like ethylene oxide. ELG attorney and owner, Gregory A. Cade, is also an industrial hygienist who earned his Master of Public Health degree in Occupational Health, Safety, and Industrial Hygiene while working at ELG Law. His scientific background has allowed him to help our clients through the following:

• Evaluate eligible toxic exposure cases and potential EtO exposure in workplaces, which helps in strengthening EtO claims for cancer
• Identify lapses in company safety policies or evidence of negligence
• Assist clients who have been injured due to toxic contaminants

Get a free case evaluation of your EtO claim with ELG Law's team

If you have been exposed to ethylene oxide (as a worker or as a nearby resident) and have been diagnosed with an EtO-related cancer, ELG Law's team of science and legal experts is ready to assist you in filing a claim. Our experts can evaluate your case by looking at your proof of exposure (employment records or residential records) and your proof of diagnosis of an EtO-related cancer. Schedule a consultation below to get your free case evaluation.