Beasley Allen, along with its co-counsel C.A. Goldberg, PLLC, recently secured a win at the motion to dismiss stage on behalf of four families. These families tragically lost their loved ones due to an Alabama company allegedly marketing and selling sodium nitrite—a dangerous chemical with no known household use.
Sodium nitrite is a type of salt with the chemical formula NaNO₂. It appears as a white or light yellow crystal-like powder and dissolves easily in water. It also absorbs moisture from the air.
The chemical is used as a preservative in processed meats and fish products, in the production of dyes and pharmaceuticals, and in organic chemistry labs. However, ingesting large amounts of sodium nitrite is harmful and likely deadly, leading to methemoglobinemia, which reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. Handling sodium nitrite requires extreme precautions as it can be harmful if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
Duda Energy had known since 2019 that its sodium nitrite had no household use and was being promoted on suicide forums like SanctionedSuicide. Despite this knowledge, the company continued to sell the chemical without requiring a business license or implementing other precautionary measures. A Duda executive even admitted in a 2019 letter that the company was aware of the product’s use in suicides but chose to continue selling it as a business decision.
The recent win at the motion to dismiss stage is a crucial step in seeking justice for the affected families. It highlights the importance of corporate responsibility and the need for stringent regulations to prevent such tragedies. This victory not only brings hope to the families involved but also sets a precedent for future cases involving irresponsible marketing and sale of dangerous products.