Friday, November 9th 2007

Former Employee of AMD Sues; Claims Unsafe Working Conditions Causes Birth Defects
While we frequently hear about Company X suing Company Y over some copyright infringement, rarely do we hear about a lawsuit that actually matters. Maria Ruiz, a former employee of AMD, worked at Fab 14 between 1988 and 2002. When she gave birth to her son, she was horrified to discover multiple birth defects. Now 16, her child (Ryan) was born missing his lower right arm, and suffers brain injury and lifelong cognitive deficits.
In the lawsuit, which was filed in the Travis County District Court in Texas, Maria Ruiz claims that she was frequently exposed to such toxic chemicals as ethylene glycol monethyl ether acetate and 2-ethoxyethyl acetate. Ruiz reported needing to receive prompt medical attention on at least two occasions, after unintentionally inhaling chemical fumes. Overall, the lawsuit claims that AMD "breached its safety warranty and neglected to provide employees with adequate protection against exposure to dangerous chemicals". The lawsuit also includes medical malpractice allegations against the clinic Maria Ruiz was treated at.
AMD had this to say about the lawsuit:
Source:
Reg Hardware
In the lawsuit, which was filed in the Travis County District Court in Texas, Maria Ruiz claims that she was frequently exposed to such toxic chemicals as ethylene glycol monethyl ether acetate and 2-ethoxyethyl acetate. Ruiz reported needing to receive prompt medical attention on at least two occasions, after unintentionally inhaling chemical fumes. Overall, the lawsuit claims that AMD "breached its safety warranty and neglected to provide employees with adequate protection against exposure to dangerous chemicals". The lawsuit also includes medical malpractice allegations against the clinic Maria Ruiz was treated at.
AMD had this to say about the lawsuit:
We take the health and safety of our employees very seriously. We have a long history of supporting independent research on health and safety in semiconductor manufacturing and are confident in our systems and procedures. Our thoughts go out to Ms. Ruiz and her family, but we do not believe there is any connection between Ms. Ruiz's employment with AMD and her son's medical conditions as alleged in this case.
44 Comments on Former Employee of AMD Sues; Claims Unsafe Working Conditions Causes Birth Defects
If not, then they have to prove that whatever she was exposed to, was still in her system during her pregnancy AND did in fact cause a birth defect.
And guess who would most likely have to fit that bill? Ruiz. I hope they paid her well :0
i hope she get money if its not her fault
I'm pretty sure AMD is guilty, but they don't have much to pay
but seriously, that makes you wonder if AMD is worth buying :(
not that i think that this child is unlucky but sometimes the company is not totally at fault, i hope AMD win this case but still pay a small out of court good will package.
The article does state she unintentionally inhaled chemicals.. meaning she had an accident.
She shouldn't get any money for this, and if she does, I'm going intel.
ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOMETHYL ETHER
ACETATE
IV. Effects of Human Exposure
Developmental defects have been described in the offspring of a mother who was occupationally
exposed to EGMEA during pregnancy (Bolt and Golka, 1990). The mother was exposed during
pregnancy by skin absorption and inhalation for approximately 1-4 hours/day to 1-2 liters of
EGMEA. Her first child was born with congenital hypospadia, chordee, micropenis, and
scrotum bifida and her second child (3 years later) was born with chordee, cryptorchidism, penile
A - 68
Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate
hypospadia and scrotum bifida. Both children had normal karyotypes. No estimates of exposure
were made.
A single case report described allergic dermatitis which may have developed from contact with
EGMEA (Jordan and Dahl, 1971). A 58-year-old woman developed dermatitis on the nose
possibly from contact with EGMEA on her eyeglasses. Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate
(EGEEA) was also present.
www.oehha.ca.gov/air/chronic_rels/pdf/110496.pdf
2-Ethoxyethyl acetate
NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 500 ppm
Potential symptoms: Irritation of eyes, nose; vomiting; kidney damage; headache, dizziness, drowsiness, paralysis, unconsciousness; in animals: reproductive, teratogenic effects; SKIN ABS; INGES ACUTE: Nausea, vomiting.
Health Effects: Irritation-Eyes, Nose, Throat, Skin---Mild (HE16); Cumulative Blood Disturbances (HE12) Reproductive hazards---Teratogenesis and other reproductive impairment (HE5).
Affected organs: Eyes, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract; reproductive system, hematopoietic system.
www.osha.gov/dts/chemicalsampling/data/CH_239300.html