CHICAGO (February 4, 2019) – The seven law firms representing clients affected by the toxic emissions released from Sterigenics have issued a statement after a CBS Chicago investigation revealed the company took extraordinary steps to cover up the release of ethylene oxide and secretly operated other facilities in the Western Suburbs:
The information shared yesterday by former Sterigenics International employees is deeply troubling to our clients and law firms, and should be taken seriously by the citizens of Illinois – especially those living and working near the Sterigenics International plant in Willowbrook.
As we learned, Sterigenics’ reports of its emissions are not an accurate representation of the amount of ethylene oxide that has actually gone into the surrounding communities for years. While Sterigenics is subject to regulations regarding its ethylene oxide emissions, those regulations only cover emissions specifically from the sterilization chambers. As we learned last night, Sterigenics has used additional facilities to store off-gassing product which did not have proper ventilation or pollution controls to capture and filter the ethylene oxide before it was emitted into the atmosphere. This creates even greater concern that the levels of ethylene oxide being emitted into the community are far greater than ever reported. Additionally, these other locations may expand the zone of danger for surrounding residents as they provide other geographical emission sources of ethylene oxide.
Equally as alarming is that Sterigenics clearly has an utter disregard for the safety of their employees within the facility. Actions taken to rig the baseline units which detected the levels of ethylene oxide highlights the culture of Sterigenics as an organization and its disregard for the known, adverse effects of ethylene oxide on the human body. If Sterigenics can’t take care of its own people, it is inconceivable that they would take any precautions to protect those in the community who are faceless and nameless to them.
Every day Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge, Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., Power Rogers & Smith, L.L.P., The Collins Law Firm, P.C., Tomasik Kotin Kasserman, and Corboy & Demetrio, P.C. are fighting to provide support for individuals and families who are suffering from cancer, birth defects and miscarriages among other catastrophic injuries due to these carcinogenic emissions from the Sterigenics International plant in Willowbrook, Illinois. We must hold Sterigenics accountable for their reckless negligence that has resulted in the needless and continuous poisoning of men, women, and children in Illinois for so many years.
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About Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard:
Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard was established by attorney Patrick Salvi in Waukegan, Illinois in 1982. With offices in Chicago and Waukegan, the firm has 18 lawyers and is supported by more than 35 staff members. The firm represents clients in a variety of medical malpractice, personal injury and wrongful death cases. Salvi Law has recovered more than $2 billion in verdicts and settlements on behalf of injured clients, including 235 cases resulting in awards of $1 million or more. In 2017, the firm won the largest compensatory personal injury jury verdict in the state of Illinois, $148 million for a dancer paralyzed by a collapsed pedestrian shelter at O’Hare International Airport. Over the past decade, the firm has been routinely listed as one of the top law firms in the state with the highest reported settlement totals in the Jury Verdict Reporter / Chicago Daily Law Bulletin’s Settlement Survey. To contact Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, please call 312-372-1227 or visit www.salvilaw.com.
About Romanucci & Blandin, LLC
Romanucci & Blandin has been rated as a leading civil trial practice law firm in Chicago concentering in catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, police misconduct, and abuse and sexual misconduct cases. The attorneys at the Chicago law firm represent individuals and their families in catastrophic personal injury matters, wrongful death and workers’ compensation cases. The cases that are referred to Romanucci & Blandin involve accidents or injuries which occurred due to negligence and carelessness on the part of individuals, governmental bodies and corporations of all sizes. Since its inception 20 years ago, Romanucci & Blandin has secured more than $500 million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of their clients across the country. For more information about Romanucci & Blandin, please visit www.rblaw.net or call (312) 458-1000.
About Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge:
Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge (“HME”) is a firm of trial lawyers specializing in mass tort and class action cases. The attorneys at HME practice on a nationwide basis in both federal and state courts and are actively involved in some of the largest and most significant mass tort and class action cases in the country. HME lawyers have particular expertise in toxic torts, carcinogen and environmental exposure, occupational and para-occupational exposure to toxins, and the fields of medical causation, oncology, and epidemiology. For more information about Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge please visit www.hmelegal.com or call (312) 955-0545.
About Power Rogers & Smith L.L.P:
The attorneys at Power Rogers & Smith, L.L.P. have won more than $4 billion in verdicts and settlements for our clients. In fact, Chicago Lawyer magazine’s Annual Settlement Survey has named our firm the “No. 1 Plaintiff’s Law Firm” in most dollars earned for our clients eight years in a row. We handle a wide range of cases for plaintiffs including wrongful death, product liability and class actions. Through the tireless effort and sincere commitment of our attorneys, we have successfully obtained the life-saving compensation and justice our clients deserve, helping to provide them with the opportunity to move forward in their lives. Not only does our work improve the lives of our clients, it can also bring about important changes in the law by forcing companies to do things the right way and for regulatory agencies to crack down on practices that pose a danger to the public. When you need a winning attorney in your corner, call on an advocate at our firm. For more information, please visit www.prslaw.com or call 312-236-9381.
About The Collins Law Firm, P.C.:
The Collins Law Firm has built a nationwide reputation for fighting for the victims of environmental contamination. Based in Naperville, Illinois, the Collins Law Firm team of experienced trial lawyers takes the fight to corporations and works to help families by making their neighborhoods safe to live in again and getting them the compensation, they deserve. The Collins Law Firm attorneys have recovered more than $102 million in settlements and judgments related to environmental issues like vapor intrusion, groundwater contamination, and landfill and soil contamination. For more information about The Collins Law Firm, please visit http://www.collinslaw.com/Environmental-Litigation/, or call (630) 687-9838.
About Tomasik Kotin Kasserman:
Tomasik Kotin Kasserman cares about our clients. The attorneys at TKK have extensive experience working with victims of chemical exposure, including victims of the Chicago Nicor Gas mercury spill and clients who contracted cancer while working at Amoco Research Center in Naperville. Following a successful case, we partner with our clients in an ongoing fight to change policies and procedures in an effort to keep others from having to endure a similar fate. Find out more by giving us a call 312-605-8800 or visiting us at TKKlaw.com. TKK: Achieving Justice, Enhancing Safety.”
About Corboy & Demetrio, P.C.:
Corboy & Demetrio is one of the nation’s premier law firms. The personal injury law firm represents individuals and their families in serious personal injury and wrongful death cases and is renowned for its achievements in the courtroom and for its contributions to the community. The firm has acquired nearly $4 billion in settlements and verdicts and has attained more than 600 settlements and verdicts in excess of $1 million. To contact Corboy & Demetrio Attorneys Robert J. Bingle, William T. Gibbs or Kenneth T. Lumb, call 312-346-3191or toll free at 800-356-3191. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about our law firm go to corboydemetrio.com.
