DuPont Faces Benzene Suit from Estate of 60-Year Employee

By Jennifer Griffith

Published on April 20, 2007

Jo Ann Thompson, the late Thompson’s benefactor, filed the petition to sue DuPont on Tuesday with Jefferson County district court.

The suit claims that during Thompson’s 60-year career at DuPont, he was exposed to benzene even though the company knew of the irreparable damage the chemical could cause. Thompson’s estate also claims that the defendants failed to comply with federal and state benzene regulations and failed to develop a safety program to prevent their employees from being exposed to the carcinogenic chemical.

Thompson died on June 15, 2006, from multiple myeloma, a progressive blood disease that affects the immune system. Myeloma has been linked to chronic exposure to benzene -- a substance found in crude oil and used in the production of plastics, synthetic rubber, and certain dyes.

Jo Ann Thompson is demanding a jury trial. Her lawsuit seeks damages in excess of the jurisdictional limits of the district court.

Attorneys Keith Hyde and Darren Brown of Provost Umphrey Law Firm are representing Thompson in the suit.

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