Texas Family Sues Chevron, Blames Benzene for Father's Death

Posted on June 29, 2009 by David Austin

The widow and children of a deceased Texas man have filed a lawsuit against Chevron alleging that the man died wrongfully as a result of benzene exposure.

"As a result of such exposure, Luther Wesley Miller, developed multiple myeloma from which he died a painful and terrible death on Feb. 7, 2008," the lawsuit  filed June 19 in Jefferson County District Court states.

The suit alleges that Chevron knew that benzene exposure leads to deadly blood conditions and cancers (which of course they did), yet still allowed employees to work around the chemicals.

The suit also claims that Chevron failed to warn workers of the dangers associated with benzene exposure, and failed to take precautions to avoid exposing Miller to the chemical.

Thousands of workers, in the process of simply doing their jobs, have been needlessly sickened, and have died as a result of benzene exposure. The list of debilitating and potentially deadly blood disorders associated with benzene exposure is not short and includes not only multiple myeloma, but also aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, acute myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, and others. 

Almost anyone employed in the industrial sector is at increased risk of benzene exposure. Don't assume that your employer is fully disclosing, or taking adequate measures to protect you from the dangers of the chemicals you regularly come into contact with on the job.

Today, in the age of information, workers have an unprecedented opportunity to learn the facts about the chemicals they are expected to use, and how to protect themselves from exposure to those chemicals while performing their jobs.

If you have been wrongfully sickened by benzene exposure, contact a benzene lawyer immediately. Many states have statutes of limitations (time limits) which may exclude you from obtaining compensation.

With the assistance of benzene lawyers, many workers who have been wrongfully exposed to benzene have persevered over even the largest corporations. Most benzene lawyers will take no payment unless your case is successful. 

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Chevron Had Systematic Policy of Illegal Dumping in Amazon

Posted on May 4, 2009 by David Austin

Deliberate dumping by Chevron, of billions of gallons of toxic waste, decimated six indigenous groups, and caused at least 1,400 deaths from cancer, a representative of the amazon communities testified before congress this week.  

"The environmental degradation of this area, done intentionally by Texaco [now Chevron] to lower production costs, has today produced a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions,"  -Steven Donziger, lawyer for the affected Amazonian communities, before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission

A 15 year civil trial in Ecuador charges that Chevron, purposefully discharged billions of gallons of "formation water" into the rainforest, and abandoned 900 toxic waste pits in the jungle. The pits continue to leak toxins into the soil, contaminating the drinking water supply of the local population.  Formation water, a byproduct of oil drilling, contains hydrocarbons, including benzene.

 "Texaco pumped the oil out of the ground, separated the crude and sold it on the commercial market, and then dumped billions of gallons of toxic waste into the Amazon. In this area of Ecuador the water, soil, and air on which thousands of people depend for almost every aspect of their daily sustenance is for the most part poisoned."-Donziger

The cancer death statistics are widely considered low as most in this remote area die without ever seeing a doctor.

Donziger also testified that there were three other human rights violations related to the Chevron case.

  • The victimization, death threats, and assaults faced by those named in the lawsuit.
  • The "abuse of the judicial process" by Chevron in order to "obstruct and delay" the trial, and negatively impact the abilities of the plaintiffs to resolve claims.
  • The "environmental racism" practiced by Chevron in that it purposefully desicrated the environment of indigenous peoples, while simultaniously operating safely in the U.S.

Weather or not Chevron is racist, I doubt they would think twice about doing the same thing in the U.S. or anywhere else. The reason they did this is that they thought they could get away with it.

Chevron has informed U.S. government officials it expects "significant adverse judjement" regarding the dumping, later this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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