Oklahoma Couple Files Benzene Exposure Suit against 80 Corporations

By Jennifer Griffith

Published on April 20, 2007

The suit, filed by John and Edith Jones, claims the venue is appropriate because eight of the corporations do business in Illinois and four are based in the state.

Among the 80 defendants in the case are Apex Oil, Atlantic Richfield, BP Products North America, Chemtool, Illinois Pipeline, Premcor Refining Group, Shell Oil, and Sinclair Oil, all of which are corporations qualified to conduct business in Illinois.

From 1972 to 2001, John Jones was an employee of nine of the defendant corporations, including Boeing Co. and Rockwell International. In 2005, he was diagnosed with leukemia. Jones claims his disease was caused by chronic exposure to benzene, a known carcinogen found in crude oil and gasoline.

The suit claims that the chemical exposure was foreseeable and preventable. Jones is suing on 16 counts and seeking compensatory and punitive damages in excess of $800,000.

Edith Jones claims she has been deprived of the love, affection, companionship, and services of her husband as of a result of his disease.

Representing the couple are Randy L. Gori and Allyson M. Romani of Goldenberg Heller Antognoli Rowland Short & Gori of Edwardsville.

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