If you have been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia but cannot figure out why, benzene may be responsible. Benzene, a chemical used in various industries, is a known cause of both blood cancer and bone marrow cancer. However, despite these risks, auto mechanics and other workers have been exposed to high levels of benzene for years. Recently, there have been a significant number of workers diagnosed with benzene-related health conditions, including acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, and aplastic anemia. In fact, just this year, a Philadelphia jury returned a $725 million verdict in favor of a man who developed leukemia after being exposed to benzene in the 1970s.

If you were exposed to benzene through your employment and now you’re facing an AML diagnosis, it’s important to take a few minutes to understand your options. Depending on the situation, the manufacturer of the benzene-containing product that you were exposed to may be financially liable to you. An experienced product liability lawyer can help you better understand your rights and how you can go about pursuing a claim for benzene exposure.

What Are the Health Risks of Benzene Exposure?

Benzene exposure can pose significant health risks. Short-term exposure to high levels of benzene can cause dizziness, headaches, and confusion. You might also experience drowsiness, tremors, or even unconsciousness if the exposure is severe.

Long-term exposure to benzene is even more dangerous. Breathing in benzene over an extended period can lead to harmful effects on your bone marrow, which is where new blood cells are made. This can cause a decrease in red blood cells, leading to anemia, and affect your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight infections.

Additionally, benzene is a known carcinogen, meaning it can increase your risk of developing certain types of cancer, particularly acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Benzene exposure can also lead to other blood disorders like aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). To stay safe, it's crucial to avoid environments where benzene is present, especially in industries like manufacturing or chemical processing.

Auto mechanics are among the workers most at risk for benzene exposure due to their frequent contact with products containing this chemical. However, other occupations are also at an elevated risk. If you believe that you or a loved one worked in an environment with high benzene exposure and were later diagnosed with AML or another rare and incurable disease, understanding the role of benzene could be crucial for your case. You deserve answers and support, and knowing your rights is the best place to start.

What is Benzene and How Does it Make You Sick?

Benzene is a colorless or light yellow liquid chemical found in natural sources like crude oil and gasoline. It's widely used in manufacturing plastics, resins, synthetic fibers, rubber lubricants, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides. While benzene is useful industrially, its presence in the workplace poses significant health risks.

When you are exposed to benzene, it can disrupt how your cells function. Benzene exposure affects bone marrow, the soft tissue that produces blood cells inside your bones. This disruption can reduce red blood cells, causing anemia, and damage the immune system by lowering white blood cell counts. This can make you more susceptible to infections. Moreover, benzene exposure is linked to various types of cancers, particularly those affecting blood and bone marrow.

Benzene exposure is particularly dangerous because it can cause blood disorders and cancers, such as AML, MDS, and aplastic anemia. These diseases are directly linked to benzene exposure, making it crucial to understand your risks if you've worked in environments with benzene.

What Jobs Have a High Risk of Benzene Exposure

Certain occupations have a higher risk of benzene exposure due to frequent contact with products containing this chemical. Auto mechanics, for instance, are at significant risk as they often use solvents and cleaning agents that historically contained benzene, such as Liquid Wrench, which contained benzene until 1978. Similarly, those at heightened risk include printing press operators, refinery workers, petroleum distribution truck drivers, barge workers, railroad workers transporting petroleum products, gas station owners, tire repair professionals, and auto body repair and painting workers.

If you've worked in any of these fields, understanding your exposure to benzene is critical, especially if you develop symptoms of blood disorders or cancers. Monitoring your health and seeking medical advice if you experience symptoms related to benzene exposure can help in early diagnosis and treatment.

What are the Symptoms of Benzene Exposure?

Immediate symptoms of benzene exposure can occur within minutes to hours and include dizziness, drowsiness, headaches, tremors, confusion, and rapid or irregular heartbeat. In severe cases, high levels of benzene exposure can lead to unconsciousness or death.

Ingesting foods or drinks with high levels of benzene can cause vomiting, stomach irritation, dizziness, sleepiness, convulsions, and irregular heartbeat. Skin or eye contact with benzene can result in tissue injury and irritation.

Long-term exposure to benzene, defined as exposure over a year or more, primarily affects the blood. It can lead to bone marrow damage, reduced red blood cells causing anemia, excessive bleeding, and a weakened immune system, increasing the risk of infections. Prolonged exposure has also been linked to irregular menstrual periods and reduced ovary size in women.

How Long After Exposure to Benzene Can I Get Sick?

Benzene exposure can have effects immediately and over the long term. Acute symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and confusion can appear within minutes to hours of exposure. However, the more severe, chronic effects, like cancers and blood disorders, may not become apparent until years after prolonged exposure.

For instance, in the case of an auto mechanic exposed to Mobil gasoline in the 1970s. He developed AML in May 2019, decades after his initial exposure. The jury recognized that it was wrong for Mobil Oil to knowingly include a carcinogen in a product used daily by people in their workplaces, vehicles, and everyday lives without informing the public. Recently, a Philadelphia jury awarded the man over $725 million in damages in his product liability lawsuit against Exxon Mobil.

How to Prove that Cancer or Disease is Linked to Benzene

Proving that your cancer or disease is linked to benzene exposure requires thorough medical and occupational documentation. Establishing a connection involves demonstrating that you were exposed to benzene through your job and that your type of cancer or disease is one scientifically linked to benzene.

Diseases linked to benzene exposure are categorized based on their association with the chemical. AML, MDS, and aplastic anemia are in the highest category, with a strong consensus that benzene exposure is a primary cause. The second category includes NHL, MM, and CLL, where the connection to benzene is significant but less direct. The third category encompasses diseases like ALL and CML, which are more difficult to conclusively link to benzene exposure.

Gathering evidence of your exposure, medical records, and expert testimony can strengthen your case. Legal assistance can help you navigate this complex process and improve your chances of proving the link between benzene exposure and illness.

Who is Responsible for Preventing Diseases Related to Benzene Poisoning?

Companies and corporations that produce or use benzene-containing products bear a significant responsibility regarding benzene exposure. Product liability laws hold these entities accountable for ensuring their products are safe for use and for providing adequate warnings about the dangers of benzene. These companies must rigorously test their products and inform the public and workers about the risks of benzene exposure. If they fail, they can be liable for health issues, including cancers and blood disorders.

Is My Employer Responsible for Preventing Diseases Related to Benzene Toxicity?

While product manufacturers are often the primary targets in benzene-related cases, employers also have a crucial role in ensuring worker safety. Employers must provide a safe working environment by offering proper protective equipment, ensuring adequate ventilation, and training employees on safely handling benzene-containing products. However, proving liability against an employer can be more challenging than against product manufacturers.

Employers must follow safety regulations and take all necessary precautions to protect their workers. If your employer failed to implement these safety measures and you developed health issues due to benzene exposure, they could be liable for negligence. It's essential to seek legal assistance to navigate these complex cases and ensure you receive the support and compensation you deserve.

Those interested in learning more about how benzene can cause AML and other serious health conditions should reach out to a product liability lawyer for assistance.