leukemia and other blood cancers LINKED TO benzene EXPOSURE
Benzene is a chemical found in many consumer products and gasoline. Exposure to benzene occurs primarily through inhalation, but may also result from contact with the skin. Individuals can come into contact with benzene in both the workplace and the general environment. Studies have shown that individuals who are exposed to high levels of benzene have an increased risk of cancer, particularly leukemia and blood-related cancers.
1-800-LAW-FIRM is an advocate and leader in protecting workers exposed to benzene while on the job who were diagnosed with blood cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma years later. If you think that you or a loved one have been exposed to benzene in the workplace, you can schedule a no-obligation, free claim review by filling out the following form.
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what is benzene?
Benzene is a colorless, highly flammable chemical. It is among the top 20 chemicals used in the United States by volume. Benzene is widely used in the production of other chemicals for plastics, lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs and pesticides, and is also found in crude oil and gasoline.
can Benzene cause cancer?
Benzene is listed as a known carcinogen by numerous science and health agencies including the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the National Toxicology program (as part of the National Institute of Health), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Studies have found increased rates of leukemia and other blood cancers in individuals exposed to high levels of benzene. The National Cancer Institute has stated that there may be no safe level of exposure to benzene.
Which industries use the most benzene?
Workers employed in the following industries that make or use benzene may be exposed to the highest levels of the chemical:
- petrochemicals production
- oil and gas refining
- coke and coal chemical manufacturing
- rubber tire manufacturing
- storage or transport of benzene and products containing benzene
Other at-risk workers who may be exposed to benzene in the workplace include:
- steel workers
- printers
- rubber workers
- shoemakers
- laboratory technicians
- firefighters
- auto mechanics
- gas station employees
Benzene is linked to industrial processes, such as the disposal of contaminated products, petroleum spills, factory output, burning fuel, and gasoline and vehicle emissions. Exposure can also occur by breathing contaminated air from cigarette smoke or drinking water from polluted underground storage tanks. The production of consumer goods, including rubber and chemicals, release significant quantities of benzene into the environment. Individuals who work in specific industries with high degrees of benzene exposure or who reside near these workplaces (such as gas stations and factories) have an elevated risk of severe health conditions, including cancer.
WHAT SIDE EFFECTS AND COMPLICATIONS ARE LINKED TO BENZENE?
Workers are exposed to the dangers of benzene in their occupations through skin absorption or inhalation. Long-term exposure to benzene can result in the following complications:
- Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
- Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
- Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Aplastic anemia
It can take years for the symptoms of benzene-related cancer to present, and often workers do not realize that their illness was likely caused by exposure to benzene at their workplace years earlier.
Can YOU file a lawsuit if benzene made YOU sick?
Yes, people with benzene-related cancers who worked for companies that knowingly exposed them to benzene without proper protections deserve the right to hold the company accountable!
Victims may be able to recover the following economic and non-economic damages:
- Past and future anticipated costs of medical treatment and other medical expenses
- Loss of past and future earnings from being too ill to work
- Pain and suffering, including mental distress and losing their quality of life
Many victims have filed occupational benzene exposure lawsuits against their employers that have resulted in multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements.