ExxonMobil's $725.5 Million Lawsuit: Benzene Causes Cancer

A Philadelphia jury has just returned a $725.5 million verdict against ExxonMobil, finding Exxon’s failure to warn about known health risks of exposure to cancer-causing benzene in its petroleum products was responsible for a former service station mechanic’s acute myeloid leukemia (AML) diagnosis. AML, among other types of blood cancers, has been diagnosed in numerous Gulf Coast residents and response workers who were exposed to benzene and other carcinogenic chemicals released during the disastrous 2010 BP Oil Spill.

“It is encouraging to see a jury finally hold ExxonMobil accountable for its attempts to evade responsibility for exposing unknowing individuals to its cancer-causing products. ExxonMobil’s actions are not unique, but rather appear to be the industry standard, and mirrors the tactics employed by BP since 2010. However, this landmark verdict reaffirms our resolve to hold such corporations accountable for their actions,” says Craig T. Downs, Esq. of The Downs Law Group. “This is an important ruling because it shows that benzene causes Leukemia, and this ruling helps pave the way for BP Oil Spill victims who seek to recover for similar injuries with similar inhalation exposure scenarios.”

Read the full story on PR Newswire’s article, “ExxonMobil Hit with $725M Verdict for Failure to Warn About Cancer-Causing Benzene in Gasoline.”