Exposure to the toxic chemical benzene can be extremely harmful to your health. Long-term exposure, even to small amounts, has been linked to cancer. Accidentally ingesting or breathing in high levels of benzene can quickly kill you. If you believe you’ve been injured by this chemical, whether in the workplace or at home, our experienced attorneys may be able to get you compensation through a benzene exposure lawsuit. We can also advise you of your legal options if you have lost a family member to this toxin. If you’ve been injured or lost a loved one, call us at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 to arrange a free, confidential consultation with an experienced benzene exposure lawyer. You may be entitled to financial compensation. The accident and injury law office of Terry Bryant has successfully assisted victims of dangerous chemicals for over 35 years. We are standing by to help you too.
Benzene is among the top 20 chemicals used in industry in the United States. It’s a highly flammable chemical that is colorless and has a sweet smell. Benzene is both a natural resource and a man-made substance. Crude oil, where it occurs naturally, is the main source of most benzene produced today. But it’s also formed from volcanoes and forest fires. Environmentally, benzene is present in cigarette smoke, gasoline, and motor vehicle exhaust. It’s also used as a starter material in combination with other chemicals to make detergents, dyes, glues, lubricants, paints, pesticides, pharmaceutical drugs, plastics, rubbers, and other products.
Benzene Exposure in the Workplace
While the risk of exposure can be anywhere, workers who make or use benzene are often most in danger from the chemical. The most common way workers are exposed to it over an extended period of time is by breathing in air that contains benzene. Even inhaling low levels of benzene over time can cause cancer. The toxin can also be absorbed through the skin or mucous membranes.
Workers who are more likely to be exposed to benzene include:
Oil and gas workers
Chemical workers
Maritime employees
Construction workers
Production workers
Shoe and leather workers
Firefighters
Railroad workers
Auto mechanics
Printers
Laboratory personnel
Rubber workers
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards regulate worker exposure to benzene and other hazardous chemicals. But for some unscrupulous employers, time means money, and money is more important than employee safety. Some companies may cut corners by not properly training workers, not providing protective equipment, not enforcing chemical storage standards, and not making sure other safety measures are followed. When this happens, workers can get sick.
Environmental Exposure to Benzene Outside of Work
The risk of benzene exposure also exists outside of the workplace. Benzene is present in cigarette smoke. According to the American Cancer Society, cigarette smoke, including second-hand smoke, accounts for about half of benzene exposure in the U.S. Additionally, people can be exposed to benzene from car exhaust, gasoline fumes, factory emissions, and contaminated water. Additionally, many common consumer products sold on store shelves contain benzene. With regular and long-term use, they may cause illness.
It is important to be aware of what products you encounter at home or in your daily life that may contain benzene.
TYPES OF PRODUCTS THAT MAY CONTAIN BENZENE:
Aerosol waxes
Asphalts
Auto part cleaners
Auto part degreasers
Brush cleaners
Calibrating fluid
Charcoal lighter fluid
Coke ovens
Contact cements
Charcoal lighter fluids
Driveway sealers
Elastomeric adhesives
Furniture refinishers
Furniture strippers
Furniture wax
Hair dyes
Household solvents
Hydraulic fluids
Ink markers
Insect killers
Jet fuel
Kerosene
Lacquer thinner
Lantern fuels
Leather black and stain
Mineral spirits
Motor oils
Naphtha
Paints and paint thinners
Paste polish
Polishes
Rubber cements
Rubber solvent
Slop oil / Secondary oil
Spray lubricant
Stainless steel cleaners
Sunscreens
Vinyl thinners
Weed killers
PRODUCTS CONTAINING BENZENE:
140* Flash Aliphatic
140* Flash Aliphatic: Solvent
3-In-1 Electric Motor Oil
3-In-1 Household Oil
Bonide Grass, Weed & Vegetation Killer
Classic Aerosol Wax
Champion Carb. Cleaner
Champion Flush Off Degreaser
Champion Brake Cleaner
Champion Cold Galvanize
Champion Galv Off
Champion CS+
Champion N/F 4 Way Penetrating Oil
Champion Stainless Steel Cleaner
Champion X It Out Vandal Mark Remover
Champion Super Lubricant
Champion Spray Paint
Champion Flying Insect Killer
Champion Fire Ant Killer
Champion Multi Insect/lice Killer
Champion Indoor Insect Fogger
Champion Ant & Roach
Champion Metered Insecticide
Dr. Rogers Screw Worm Smear Formula No. 62
Formula M 62 Insecticide
Gardner Blacktop Driveway Sealer
Gardner EZ STIR Filler Sealer
Gumout Regane Premium Gas Treatment
Gumout Xtra 1 Tank Carb Cleaner
Gumout Tune Up Spray
Gumout Carb/Fuel Injector Cleaner (aerosol)
Gumout Carb/Fuel Injector Cleaner (liquid)
Gumout Diesel Fuel System Cleaner
Gumout Cold Weather Diesel Treatment
Gumout Liquid Intake Cleaner
Liquid Polish
Liquid Wrench
Martin’s Formula No. 62 Screw Worm Smear for Horses and Mules
Ortho Weed-B-Gone
Parks Furniture Refinisher
Parks Adhesive Remover
Parks Mineral Spirits Paint Thinner
Parks Lacquer Thinner
Parks Brush Cleaner
Parks PRO liquid Paint Stripper
Parks Liquid Strip
Parks Lacquer Thinner 6/13/97
Parks Adhesive Remover 9/4/98
Parks Liquid Deglosser 9/4/98
Rust-Ban 392
Shell DAN
Shell Rubber solvent
ShellSol A-100
ShellSol TD
Solvasol
Solvasol 2
Staffel’s Screw Worm Compound
Stoddard Solvent
Sunoco Household Oil
Thoroseal Redi Mix Paint
VM & P Naphtha
Exposed to Benzene at Work or at Home? Call Us Today
These are just a sampling of products that can contain benzene. There are numerous others used in homes and garages.
It’s important to note that higher levels of benzene are found in indoor spaces. When you breathe in the air in an enclosed space, it can put you at greater risk of exposure and illness. If you use benzene-containing products, be sure to open windows and doors to increase ventilation. For big jobs like painting, you can also use fans to direct fumes outside.
If you were hurt by benzene at work or elsewhere, call our law firm for help today. We will advise you about your possible options for getting compensation to help pay your medical expenses and other bills. You shouldn’t suffer in silence when you’ve been harmed through no fault of your own because another party was negligent in controlling a toxic chemical.
Cancers Caused by Benzene Exposure
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have both classified benzene as a known human carcinogen. A carcinogen is something that causes cancer. The chemical has most often been associated with causing acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Leukemia is cancer of the blood-forming tissues. It has also been linked to these other types of leukemia:
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL, or B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia)
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)
Additionally, lawsuits have claimed that benzene exposure was responsible for causing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and multiple myeloma (MM), both of which are blood cancers.
Poisoning from Benzene Exposure
Coming into contact with large amounts of benzene in a single incident, either by breathing it in or ingesting it through the mouth or skin is an emergency situation. Get medical attention right away. Symptoms of benzene poisoning can include:
Vomiting and stomach irritation, if ingested
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Headaches
Confusion
Tremors
Convulsions
Rapid or irregular heartbeat
When very high levels are breathed in or ingested, benzene can be fatal.
If you’ve been diagnosed with cancers, have cancer symptoms or other injuries from benzene, we want to help you get compensation. Dial (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 to speak with a compassionate benzene exposure attorney.
How Much Money Can I Get in a Benzene Exposure Lawsuit?
What money you may be able to get will depend on the seriousness of your injuries and how they affect your health and well-being. Compensation in benzene exposure lawsuits is based on damages. Damages are a legal term for losses that you’ve suffered because of your illness caused by benzene.
Types of Damages in Benzene Injury Claims
Damages in chemical exposure cases may include:
Payment for current and future medical expenses including doctor visits, hospital stays, chemotherapy, and other cancer treatments and more
Reimbursement for lost wages for days missed at work
Money for future lost income if you can’t work anymore
Compensation for the pain and suffering, both physical and emotional, from your illness or injuries
Punitive damages in cases of extreme negligence
If your spouse, child, or parent died because of exposure to benzene, you may be able to collect damages through a wrongful death claim. Wrongful death damages may include payment for medical bills before death, funeral and burial costs, lost income, lost inheritance, lost love and support, and other losses.
Every case is unique in how much it is worth financially. Once we meet with you and learn about your situation, we can counsel you about damages and advise you about a value range for your case. Don’t delay in reaching out to the accident and injury law office of Terry Bryant for your benzene exposure claim. The sooner we can get started on your case, the sooner you may be able to get compensation.
Common Questions about Benzene Exposure Lawsuits
WHO CAN BE SUED IN A BENZENE EXPOSURE LAWSUIT?
Manufacturers of benzene, companies that use benzene in their operations, chemical companies that make other products out of benzene, and transporters of benzene may be liable if they didn’t follow OSHA or state safety regulations and workers are injured. Who can be sued in a benzene exposure lawsuit in your case depends upon all the circumstances of your illness and injuries. When we investigate your case, our benzene exposure attorneys will work to hold all liable parties accountable.
WON’T WORKERS’ COMPENSATION PAY FOR MY DAMAGES?
If your employer carries workers’ compensation insurance, you can file for benefits if you are hurt at work by benzene. Workers’ compensation insurance pays medical costs and a portion of lost wages. If your family member died and they were covered by workers’ comp, you may be able to get burial and death benefits. But if you have cancer or lost a loved one, workers’ comp probably won’t come close to covering all of your damages now and into the future, including pain and suffering. Compensation from a benzene exposure lawsuit can pay for losses that workers’ comp doesn’t cover and help assure that you get the full amount of money you need.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE A BENZENE EXPOSURE LAWSUIT?
If you regularly worked with benzene, or believe you were exposed to it in the environment, and have developed leukemia or another blood cancer, you may have a lawsuit. Or if you were involved in an accident while using benzene and suffered injury, you may have a lawsuit. Our benzene exposure law firm will investigate your case and advise you about its strength. We provide free consultations so you have nothing to lose in speaking with us.
HAVE THERE BEEN SUCCESSFUL BENZENE LAWSUITS?
There have been numerous successful benzene exposure lawsuits. Settlements and awards have reached into the millions of dollars for people with cancer. Claims have come from workers against their employers and also from the public against companies accused of dumping waste and contaminating groundwater, as examples.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY FOR BENZENE EXPOSURE?
Our attorneys work on a contingency basis. You only pay us if you have a successful recovery – in the form of a settlement or an award. We take on cases that we expect to win, but there are never any guarantees. If for some reason we don’t get you compensation, you won’t owe us anything. We also provide free consultations so you can learn whether you have a strong case.
HOW WILL YOUR ATTORNEY FOR BENZENE EXPOSURE HANDLE MY CASE?
In basic terms, we will gather all the evidence involved and work to establish liability against your employer and/or any responsible third parties. We will seek to negotiate a settlement that fairly compensates you for your damages. If your employer or the other defendants deny liability or won’t provide a fair offer, we’ll fight for your rights in court.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE BEFORE I GET COMPENSATION?
There isn’t a single answer to this question. How long your case may take depends upon the strength of the evidence involved, how willing the liable party is to settle and other factors. It could take from many months to a few years. Generally, cases that settle through negotiations are resolved much faster. Cases that end up going to trial can take much longer.
There are Deadlines for Filing Chemical Injury Lawsuits, So Don’t Delay
If you believe your cancer or other injury was caused by benzene exposure, don’t delay in getting legal assistance. The deadline for filing personal injury claims, called the statute of limitations, varies by state. In Texas, where our law firm is located, there is a two-year statute of limitations for filing personal injury lawsuits. It starts the day you were injured or discovered that you were ill.
Don’t be discouraged, though, if you are near the filing deadline. There are exceptions to filing deadlines. You should always speak directly to a lawyer to learn about the specific deadlines that apply to your benzene case.
We Have the Experience and Resources Necessary to Win Benzene Lawsuits
When you are suffering a serious illness like cancer, the money you could get through a lawsuit can go a long way toward relieving your financial worry. It can also pay for household help, childcare providers, and other assistance you may need as you fight your illness. But you shouldn’t have to face the complexities and stress of filing a lawsuit on your own—especially when it is against one or more companies that are used to fending off injured people with the help of expensive lawyers.
The team at Terry Bryant will stand up for you when you are ill because of another’s negligence. Schedule a free and confidential consultation with a benzene lawyer today by calling (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 to learn if you may be able to get compensation.
Attorney Terry Bryant
Terry Bryant is Board Certified in personal injury trial law, which means his extensive knowledge of the law has been recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, setting him apart from many other injury attorneys. The 22 years he spent as a Municipal Judge, Spring Valley Village, TX also provides him keen insight into the Texas court system. That experience also helps shape his perspective on personal injury cases and how they might resolve. This unique insight benefits his clients. [ Attorney Bio ]
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The risk of benzene exposure also exists outside of the workplace. Benzene is present in cigarette smoke. According to the 
These are just a sampling of products that can contain benzene. There are numerous others used in homes and garages.
Terry Bryant is Board Certified in personal injury trial law, which means his extensive knowledge of the law has been recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, setting him apart from many other injury attorneys. The 22 years he spent as a Municipal Judge, Spring Valley Village, TX also provides him keen insight into the Texas court system. That experience also helps shape his perspective on personal injury cases and how they might resolve. This unique insight benefits his clients. [ 
