Benzene Leukemia Law Blog : Benzene and Leukemia Lawyer & Attorney : Burke & Eisner Law Firm : Benzene Exposure, Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma

What is Benzene?

Benzene is a commodity chemical widely used in the industrial sector in the production of many products we use every day, such as:

• fuels
• plastics
• resins
• rubbers
• synthetic fibers
• lubricants
• detergents
• dyes
• pesticides
• drugs

This highly carcinogenic organic solvent has been shown disrupt blood cell production in humans, leading to a number of hematological (blood) diseases such as:

• aplastic anemia
• myelodysplastic syndromes
• non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) 
• acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
• acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)

Those who work in the industrial sector are at risk of harm from exposure to this chemical, and should be aware of the benzene exposure possibilities posed by their specific job. Thousands of workers have been needlessly sickened and killed due to exposure that could have been avoided by taking the correct precautions.

While some employers are responsible in this area, a clear pattern of neglect regarding the dangers of benzene exposure is exemplified in countless successful lawsuits which have resulted in monetary compensation for the exposed worker, or their families.

If you work in almost any industrial setting, your risk is elevated. Do not count on your employer to protect you, rather, take personal responsibility for your health by using every possible means of protection when working with or around products containing benzene.

A recent Benzene Leukemia Law Blog post, "On The Job Benzene Exposure: Know What To Do," is a useful starting point for workers seeking to educate themselves about benzene exposure.  

 

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Researchers at the University of California have found an association between household paint use and childhood leukemia. According to the study children exposed to paint at home had a 65% greater risk of acute lympho-blastic leukemia (ALL). The risk increased with frequency of paint exposure.

The study also suggested that mothers who used paint during preconception or pregnancy were three times more likely than those who used no paint to have a child with ALL. Researchers said this could signify that paint causes problems in early fetal development and suggested that, "avoiding the use of paint in the house during pregnancy and early childhood would be a prudent measure."

Many other cancers have already been linked to paint which contains benzene and a host of other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Exposure to benzene is known to cause several rare blood disorders such as aplastic anemia, and myelodysplastice syndromes, and is linked with acute myelogenous leukemia.

Painting raises household VOC levels significantly for several days after application. Though levels typically go down again soon after the paint is dry, off gassing will continue slowly for years.

Those who use paint regularly on the job should take all possible measures to protect thmselves from the vapors.

A growing number of US and European companies are now offering natural paint products with low or zero VOCs, in an ever increasing array of modern colors.

I have used some of them and found them every bit as good as conventional indoor paints.

Here are some suggestions for safer indoor painting:

• Use a low or no VOC variety of paint.
• Plan painting for a warm dry spell and leave windows open for 3 days.
• Never use exterior paint indoors
• Take fresh air breaks.
• Watch for symptoms of chemical exposure such as dizziness, and headaches and move to fresh air.

 

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Why would it be important to list how a person learned about the connection between AML and benzene? 

This article, I found,  lists that as the headline.  The person who filed the lawsuit learned about the connection between AML and Benzene from a TV ad.  The reason it may be important is that the case may have a problem with the statute of limitations

The Statute of Limitations is a law which limits the amount of time that you have to file a lawsuit.  In some states it can be very short (1 year) and in others it can be 3 years or more.  In a lot of the states, the law is written in such a way that the statute of limitations "clock" doesn't start until after you learn of the connection between the disease and benzene. 

This is called the discovery rule.  The time starts to run you discover the connection between your injury and the benzene.  This is not true in all states, so you have to carefully read the law to find out.

Here's the article:  "TV Ad informs laborer of links to disease"

Had it not been for a television advertisement, laborer Steve Ivkovcic may not have known the reason he developed acute myelogenous leukemia was because of benzene-containing products he was exposed to at work.

Ivkovcic, a machinist and tool and die maker, filed a benzene suit against 11 defendant corporations in Madison County Circuit Court Feb. 7, alleging benzene caused his disease.

"Steve Ivkovcic did not know that the products (he was exposed to at work) contained benzene, or that benzene could cause Acute Myelogenous Leukemia until approximately August of 2007 when he saw a television advertisement," the complaint states.

Ivkovcic was employed at Pactiv in Wheeling, Ill. from 1986 until 2007, and at Johnson Motors in Waukegan, Ill. from 1970 until 1986.

He claims that during his employment at Johnson Motors, he was exposed to benzene and benzene-containing products which were manufactured and/or sold by the defendants, which include BP Products North America Inc., BP Corporation North America Inc., BP Amoco Chemical Company, Exxon Corporation, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Exxon Mobil Oil, Radiator Specialty Company, Sunoco, Inc., Sunoco (R&M), United States Steel and Aristech Chemical.

Ivkovcic claims the benzene-containing products consisted of products known as "Naptha" which was manufactured by Amoco and Mobil.

According to the complaint, Naptha was manufactured at Amoco at its Wood River refinery.

He was diagnosed with AML in the summer of 2006, the complaint states.

AML is a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow - the spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells are made.

Ivkovcic claims the defendants were negligent by failing to use ordinary care to eliminate benzene from products and failed to provide a safe place for him to work.

He also claims the defendants failed to give adequate warnings of the harmful effects associated with exposure to benzene and benzene-containing products and failed to provide adequate safety equipment and/or failed to recommend adequate safety and control measures.

According to Ivkovcic, his disease has disabled and disfigured him, caused him to incur medical expenses, and has caused great physical pain and mental anguish.

Represented by Thomas Schwartz of Holloran, White & Schwartz in St. Louis and L. Jeth Jones of Houston, Ivkovcic is seeking damages in excess of $150,000, plus costs of the suit.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Nicholas Byron.

Source:  St.Clair Record

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Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is a blood disease of your blood. AML is when you do not have enough red and white blood cells.  Another way to describe AML is that your blood grows Blasts which are a early type of white blood cell.  It grows these blasts so fast that they basically push out all of the other white  and red blood cells.  If you have AML Leukemia you will not have enough red blood cells and not enough white blood cells because they are outnumbered.

AML is often a result of exposure to some sort of environmental toxin, such as benzene or radiation

Other names that you might hear for AML are Acute myeloblastic leukemia, acute myelocytic leukemia and acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.

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Just a quick post listing some of the common symptoms related to Acute Myelogenous Luekemia

• Shortness of Breath
  
• Fatigue (Feeling Sleepy or Tired)
  
• Bruise easily
  
• Cuts heal very slowly or you bleed easily
  
• Repeated infections
  
• Joint Pain
  
• Mild fevers

Don't give yourself a diagnosis of AML based on this list.  Go see your doctor and discuss it with him or her.

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