A Philadelphia jury found Exxon Mobil Corp. liable for $725.5 million in damages due a former mechanic who alleged its petroleum products exposed him to benzene that caused his leukemia, according to his lawyers.
The jury found that the company failed to warn Paul Gill of the risk of benzene in its products, including gasoline and solvents, while he worked as a Mobil service station mechanic from 1975 to 1980.
Gill’s lawyer Patrick Wigle called the verdict “important” and said Exxon has “resisted warning the public and taking basic precautions” to limit exposure to benzene. “We’re grateful that this jury listened closely to the testimony and decided it’s time to hold corporations like Exxon accountable for placing profits over people,” Wigle said in the statement.
Benzene is a known cause of leukemia. Click here for details about the connection between benzene and leukemia, lymphoma, and MDS. For an insider’s story about surviving leukemia, read attorney Richard LaGarde’s blog, The Leukemia Lottery.