Kendall Patient Recovery U.S. LLC (KPR U.S. LLC) is a subsidiary of Cardinal Health, a supplier of medical equipment and pharmaceutical products. KPR US is headquartered in Minnesota, and it has over a thousand patents under its name. Other subsidiaries under Cardinal Health include Graphic Holdings, Inc., and Medtronic. Cardinal Health also owns the Kendall Health Products brand, which is mentioned in the complaints and lawsuits over KPR’s sterilization facility based in Georgia over ethylene oxide emissions. However, nearby residents were put in danger because of the cancer-causing EtO emissions from the facility. If you have been diagnosed with cancer after living near a KPR US sterilization facility, you may schedule a consultation with us to discuss your legal options.
Claim ApplicationKPR US operates a sterilization facility in Augusta, Georgia, where the company makes products like medical gauze, foam gauze, and alcohol wipes.
The KPR facility uses at least two ethylene oxide chambers to sterilize products. Ethylene oxide is a highly effective sterilizing agent because its gas molecules can destroy the microbial DNA of microorganisms. However, exposure to EtO emissions may also cause DNA damage to nearby residents. When a person is exposed to low levels of EtO, EtO molecules can bind to the hemoglobin or the DNA, which is the suspected starting point of how ethylene oxide increases the risk of developing cancer.
In 2021, over 20 residents of Augusta sued KPR US in the U.S. District Court in Southern Georgia, alleging that the facility released excessive levels of EtO over the decades, causing different types of cancers among plaintiffs. Current data from the Toxic Release Inventory show that the KPR facility has released a total of 98 pounds of ethylene oxide emissions in 2022, but historical emissions were higher. In 2013, the facility released 1,233 pounds of ethylene oxide into the air, and over 4,000 pounds in 2009.
Plaintiffs include an Augusta resident who lived just over five miles away from the facility since 1989 and was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999. In another lawsuit, a family member of a resident who passed away from leukemia in 2015 filed a complaint against KPR. Other types of cancer that have been strongly linked to ethylene oxide exposure include Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and lymphoma.
You may qualify for an ethylene oxide claim if you have been diagnosed with any of the conditions mentioned above, and were a nearby Augusta resident. Our attorneys can evaluate your eligibility through your medical records, along with your proof of residence (if you lived within three miles of the facility).
If you have more questions about your eligibility for an ethylene oxide claim against KPR, do not hesitate to contact us.
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