Benzene AML Cancer Causes and Lawsuits

Alonso Krangle, LLP Is Reviewing Benzene Cancer Lawsuits

Benzene is a hazardous chemical linked to the development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a severe form of blood cancer. Workers who are exposed to benzene may be more likely to develop AML. According to research, leukemia is 2.5 times more common in workers with high exposure to benzene.

Alonso Krangle, LLP, is currently reviewing benzene exposure claims. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, please call our lawyers immediately for a free case evaluation. You might be entitled to file a lawsuit and collect compensation for your injuries.

You can reach our benzene cancer lawyers at Alonso Krangle, LLP by calling 800-403-6191. We fight for injured victims’ rights, especially workers who developed cancer after exposure to benzene.

What Should You Know About Benzene?

Benzene is a liquid chemical. It is colorless, flammable, and has a sweet odor. Benzene is widely used, found in crude oil and is used to make gasoline, lubricants, dyes, plastics, and synthetic rubber. It is also used as an important solvent in the printing, rubber, and leather industries. Benzene is commonly utilized in house maintenance and repair work and commercial and industrial settings.

One of the risks of benzene is that it evaporates very quickly when exposed to oxygen/air, making it easy for people to breathe it in.

Benzene is a dangerous chemical that can exist in various places and settings. However, most people are exposed to it through human activities like working with it in industrial situations.
Employees working with plastics, lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides are at risk of breathing the chemical.

Benzene is a frequently used chemical in the US, despite its dangers. In fact, this chemical is so common that it ranks among the top 20 chemicals for production volume.

The Risk of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Increases with Benzene Exposure

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), classifies benzene as a carcinogen that can cause leukemia and other cancers of the blood and bone marrow.

Studies have shown that people who are regularly exposed to benzene have a higher chance of developing these types of cancer. Even low-level of exposure to benzene can be harmful.

Other US agencies also recognize the dangers of benzene. It is labeled a toxic air pollutant, a hazardous material, a toxic pollutant, and a cancer-causing agent by various US agencies and laws.

Despite being directly linked to cancer like AML, benzene remains one of the most commonly used chemicals in the US.

If you or someone you know developed acute myeloid leukemia, you may be eligible for compensation. Our benzene cancer lawyers are ready to evaluate your claim and determine if exposure to benzene caused AML. We can investigate who might be legally responsible for your illness.

How Can Benzene Cause AML?

Benzene is known to cause many health problems. But the most common problem associated with benzene exposure is acute myeloid leukemia.

We know this because rates of leukemia, particularly AML, are higher in workers who are regularly exposed to benzene when compared to others. For example, people who work in oil refineries or factories that make shoes, rubber, or chemicals are at an increased risk of developing leukemia than those who do not.

Benzene causes damage to cells, specifically blood cells. It can disrupt the immune system and cause the loss of red and white blood cells.

Benzene can also cause the body to produce large numbers of abnormal or immature leukocytes. AML is specifically characterized by the increased number of these abnormal cells that build up in the blood and bone marrow. Eventually, they interfere with the production of normal blood cells leading to all kinds of symptoms and problems.

AML tends to quickly spread since it can affect all of the body’s blood-producing organs. It can be fatal if not treated quickly.

According to The Department of Health and Human Services, long-term exposure to high levels of benzene in the air can cause leukemia, including AML, in humans.

Are You At Risk For Developing AML?

Benzene can be an outdoor air and water pollutant. As we said, however, people who work in environments where they are exposed to benzene have a substantial risk of developing AML and other blood cancers.

Workers can get exposed to this dangerous chemical through ingestion, skin absorption, skin or eye contact, and inhalation. For example, people who work with solvents can experience benzene exposure in all of these ways – splashing it on their skin, using rags to wipe their hands, and inhaling vapors.

If you work as one of the following, you might be at risk of benzene exposure and developing AML:

• firefighter
• gasoline worker
• lab tech
• painter
• plywood factory worker
• printer, printing press worker
• oil refinery worker
• shoe factory worker
• leatherworker or tanner
• steelworker
• clothing factory worker
• packaging factory worker
• paint factory worker
• adhesive materials factory worker

This list is not exhaustive. Anyone who works where they are in regular contact with benzene or benzene-derived products may face an increased risk of AML.

If you developed acute myeloid leukemia while working in an environment with benzene exposure, you might be able to get money from the company that exposed you to the benzene.

Exposure to AML – Causing Benzene Can Also Come from Household Products

Benzene is found in many products we use in our homes, not just in our workplaces. The cancer-causing chemical is widely used in some of the following products:

• sunscreens
• detergents
• wax
• pesticides
• dyes
• glues
• cleaning products
• Ink products
• clothing/carpet/textile fibers
• lubricants
• fuels
• rubber
• plastic
• solvents

While your greatest risk of exposure to dangerous levels of benzene likely occurs in the workplace, it is critical that you understand other sources of potential contact with this dangerous chemical.

If you became sick or were diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia after exposure to benzene, call Alonso Krangle, LLP, to find out if you are entitled to collect damages.

Who Might Be Responsible for Your AML?

If you or a family member were diagnosed with AML, you might be able to hold someone accountable.

When companies violate federal safety regulations or state laws, they put people in danger. If you are harmed because your employer or a chemical manufacturer did not adequately protect or warn you about dangerous risks and conditions, including chemical exposure, you might be able to file a lawsuit and collect damages for your injuries. You may be able to hold various parties accountable for benzene-related cancers.

Hundreds of thousands of people have filed lawsuits against various parties over asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma.

Similarly, people may file lawsuits related to AML and other blood cancers caused by benzene. Companies who use benzene, manufacture products with benzene, or otherwise expose people to this carcinogen may be liable for the injuries benzene can cause.

What Are Some Symptoms of Acute Myeloid Leukemia?

Exposure to benzene can cause AML. But, it can take years or even decades for symptoms to appear. Symptoms of AML may include:

• frequent infections
• severe infections
• muscle weakness
• weight loss
• enlarged lymph nodes
• enlarged spleen
• enlarged liver
• fatigue
• fever
• chills
• easy or unexplained bruising
• easy or unexplained bleeding
• small red dots on the skin
• dizziness

There may be other reasons for these symptoms. But, if you have been a victim of long-term benzene exposure and are experiencing some of the above, have a medical professional determine if benzene might be the reason.

Other Cancers May Be Caused by Benzene

AML is not the only cancer linked to benzene exposure. Like most toxic chemicals, benzene can also result in multiple blood and bone marrow cancers.

In addition to AML, benzene exposure can cause:

• multiple myeloma
• non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• myelodysplastic syndrome
• chronic lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL)

If you or someone you love has experienced long-term exposure to benzene and was diagnosed with one of these cancers, perhaps even died, call our lawyers today for help. We can determine if you are entitled to file a lawsuit and collect damages for injuries caused by benzene.

Is There a Time Limit to File AML Benzene Lawsuits?

It is not possible to tell how much time you have until we hear the facts of your case. Deadlines can vary in different situations and locations. If you think benzene exposure has caused you harm, call us right away. You don’t want to lose your rights because a statute of limitations lapses.

Call Alonso Krangle, LLP For A Free Benzene Cancer Lawsuit Evaluation

If you were diagnosed with AML or have a family member who died from AML, ask yourself one question – Could benzene exposure have caused this cancer?

If the person with AML was exposed to benzene in a workplace like an oil refinery, factory, or chemical plant, the answer might be “yes.”

Call our benzene cancer lawyers today at 800-403-6191 for a free evaluation of your claim. We have the experiences and resources to determine if you are eligible for damages from the party that put you or your loved one in danger. If benzene exposure caused your AML, our goal is to help you recover the maximum damages allowed by law. Call Alonso Krangle LLP now.