Benzene Exposure Lawsuit
Benzene is a widely used chemical that is a pollutant and hazard to people. When exposed to the air, it evaporates very quickly. It is a colorless, flammable, and a faint sweet-smelling odor. Benzene exposure lawsuits are the result when humans are exposed to benzene as a result of industrial activities. Benzene exposure can also result when in contact with gasoline, inhaling vehicle exhaust, and breathing cigarette smoke.
Benzene is a aromatic hydrocarbon that is produced by burning of natural products. Found as a component of products derived from coal and petroleum products, it is found in gasoline and other fuels. Exposures less than 5 years to more than 30 years can result in cancer and cause fatalities from leukemia. Long term exposure damages bone marrow and blood production while short term exposure can cause a person to become unconscious, dizzy, and even result in death if the levels are high enough. While it can be absorbed through the skin, benzene is primarily absorbed and brought into the body by inhalation.
Benzene is a known carcinogen. This means it causes cancer. When people have long-term exposure to benzene, a variety of benzene cancers and benzene serious injuries can occur such as: leukemia (myeloid leukemia (AML)), blood cancers like non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma, blood disorders, bone marrow damage, and other injuries. Benzene causes damage to the DNA in bone marrow and causes the body’s cells damage and leaves them unable to repair themselves, resulting in a broken DNA chain and cancer.
Other ways to be exposed to benzene include drinking benzene contaminated water, breathing benzene contaminated air, or eating contaminated food. Unfortunately, it is a common pollutant that we encounter regularly without even knowing it. More commonly though, it is industrial use that causes high levels of benzene contact and pollution. Industries that contribute the highest levels of benzene in the environment include rubber production, chemical plants, oil refineries, cleaning product manufacturers, and shoe manufacturers.
For decades, the petrochemical industry has spent millions on science trying to minimize and downplay the risk and danger of benzene. There is no safe threshold for people working with the chemical according to the National Cancer Institute. The petrochemical companies have done everything in their power to keep internal memos and records on benzene away from the public. It is estimated 4 million or more people may be at risk of high levels of benzene exposure because corporate executives decided their profits were more important than the health and safety of their workers.
Benzene Exposure Lawsuits – Talk to a Benzene Exposure Attorney
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) then you need to consult with an attorney to discuss a potential benzene exposure lawsuit. Talk to a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer, certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, with 36+ years of experience. Call 1-800-883-9858 or click the link below to fill out a form and file a claim.
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