PHILADELPHIA, December 12, 2024—Duane Morris LLP partner Sharon L. Caffrey, DLA Piper of counsel Kenneth A. Murphy and Hogan Lovells partner Jennifer Adams successfully defended B. Braun Manufacturing Inc., a leading international medical technology company, against allegations that its use of ethylene oxide caused cancer in a former employee, which was brought by Kline & Specter.
Filed in May 2021, the plaintiff was seeking damages against all defendants, including punitive damages on all counts of negligence, gross negligence, willful and wanton misconduct, strict liability, claiming her husband developed leukemia from exposure to ethylene oxide allegedly emitted from B. Braun’s facility in Allentown, Pennsylvania and while working for B. Braun for seven years. After a five-week long trial in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, a jury found B. Braun not liable on all counts.
In addition to Caffrey, the Duane Morris team included partner Andrew R. Sperl and associate Leah Mintz providing appellate support. Associates Coleen W. Hill, Sara Smith and William R. Heaston provided appellate and trial support. The team was engaged two months before the trial date.
“We’re proud to have represented B. Braun,” said Caffrey. “This outcome sets an important precedent for other cases involving ethylene oxide across the U.S. and reinforces the importance of rigorous scientific defense in litigation involving medical technologies.”
The case is Christopher Glass et al. v. B. Braun Medical Inc. et al., case number 210500315, in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas.
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