UPDATE: ‘A human torso concealed in a plastic container’: Sanford Health responds with counterclaim
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - UPDATE (6/29/2023 at 6:00 p.m.): As promised, Sanford Health responded Thursday to a lawsuit against the healthcare provider with a counterclaim.
Monarch Waste Technologies is suing Sanford and a company overseen by Sanford, Healthcare Environmental Services, otherwise known as HES or HESI, for inappropriate handling and delivery of regulated medical waste.
Sanford Media Relations Manager Paul Heinert says, “The claims by Monarch are totally unsupported by the facts, and the lawsuit is simply a retaliation for the warranted termination of the parties’ contract and a desperate attempt by Monarch to distract from its own failures.”
Heinert adds, “For months, Monarch failed to carry out its contracted services, and when Sanford’s overwhelming concerns led to the termination of its contract, Monarch resorted to a lawsuit filled with falsehoods.”
You can see the full Sanford countersuit here.
ORIGINAL STORY (6/26/2023): A company that deals in medical waste has filed a lawsuit against Sanford Health.
Monarch Waste Technologies is a company that disposes of Sanford Health’s medical waste, like infectious and biohazardous material. Monarch is suing Sanford and a company overseen by Sanford, Healthcare Environmental Services, otherwise known as HES or HESI, for inappropriate handling and delivery of regulated medical waste.
A lawsuit filed in Cass County district court says HES, and by extension Sanford Health, engaged in “surreptitious activities early in the morning, before Monarch staff arrived, designed to falsely show that Monarch has mismanaged the medical waste at the treatment facility.”
Monarch says HES violated state law by delivering a “human torso concealed in a plastic container” to Monarch. Monarch also says a HES employee signed the delivery documents for receipt of the torso, which should have been done by a Monarch employee. Your News Leader asked the CEO of Monarch if they ever deal with human remains.
“Never, it’s against protocols, it’s against every part of regulations as we run facilities throughout the country. Typically, recognizable body parts that big, like a torso with things cut off, that goes to proper treatment for a crematorium, not through a shredder. And especially when it’s done under cover of us not knowing. It’s just disturbing,” said David Cardenas, CEO of Monarch Waste Technologies.
In response to the lawsuit, a spokesman for Sanford Health said: “This lawsuit is the unfortunate result of Monarch’s demonstrated inability to perform waste disposal services it had contractually agreed to perform. HESI denies the allegations made by Monarch, will soon be filing claims of its own against Monarch and otherwise looks forward to defending itself in this case.”
Your News Leader will keep you updated on this story as it progresses.
Read the full lawsuit filed in Cass County district court below:
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