Lawsuit seeks $500 million over Ebola gowns
The lawsuit claims that Kimberly-Clark Corp. falsely advertised its surgical gowns as protecting against infectious diseases, including Ebola.
Hrayr Shahinian, a Los Angeles surgeon, along with 500,000 others, filed the suit with California law firm Eagan Avenatti. Eagan Avenatti alleges the gowns put workers and patients at "considerable risk" and that Kimberly-Clark knew that its "Microcool Breathable High Performance Surgical Gown" had failed impermeability tests.
Eagan Avenatti says that millions of the gowns have been sold since 2011, and the firm is seeking a class-action lawsuit for fraud, false advertising, negligent misrepresentation, and unfair business practice. Michael Avenatti, the plaintiffs' lead attorney, said that workers "contracted various diseases" while wearing the gown.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Kimberly-Clark needs to immediately recall these gowns and come clean with the FDA, CDC, healthcare professionals, and the general public," Avenatti said in a statement. "The risks associated with continued concealment of the truth are far too great."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
-
Should blood donors be paid?
The Explainer Financial rewards would help fill NHS shortfall but bring risk of contamination and exploitation, WHO warns
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: November 25, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku hard: November 25, 2024
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
ACA opens 2025 enrollment, enters 2024 race
Speed Read Mike Johnson promises big changes to the Affordable Care Act if Trump wins the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
McDonald's sued over E. coli linked to burger
Speed Read The outbreak has sickened at least 49 people in 10 states and left one dead
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Texas dairy worker gets bird flu from infected cow
Speed Read The virus has been spreading among cattle in Texas, Kansas, Michigan and New Mexico
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Dengue hits the Americas hard and early
Speed Read Puerto Rico has declared an epidemic as dengue cases surge
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US bans final type of asbestos
Speed Read Exposure to asbestos causes about 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Seattle Children's Hospital sues Texas over 'sham' demand for transgender medical records
Speed Read Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton subpoenaed records of any Texan who received gender-affirming care at the Washington hospital
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Afghanistan has a growing female suicide problem
Speed Read The Taliban has steadily whittled away women's and girls' rights in Afghanistan over the past 2 years, prompting a surge in depression and suicide
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US life expectancy rose in 2022 but not to pre-pandemic levels
Speed Read Life expectancy is slowly crawling back up
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published