By Abiola Olawale
A Pennsylvania jury in the United States of America has granted an order compelling one of the biggest global oil companies, ExxonMobil to pay $725.5 million to an ex-mechanic, Paul Gill who alleged that he was exposed to cancer by toxic chemicals in the company’s gasoline and solvents.
The verdict which was delivered on Thursday, followed a trial in a Philadelphia state court.
During the trial, Paul Gill told the court he was exposed to benzene in ExxonMobil products while working at a gas station from 1975 to 1980.
In the lawsuit which was filed in 2020, the 67-year-old ex-mechanic stated that he cleaned car parts with his bare hands using petroleum products, exposing him to benzene through direct skin contact and inhalation. He added that was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a type of blood cancer, in 2019.
After a trial that spanned just over a week, a jury ruled that evidence before it determined that Exxon was negligent in failing to warn of the health risks associated with benzene.
The court then ordered Exxon to pay $725.5 million as compensatory damages to the former mechanic.
Reacting to the verdict, Gill’s attorney, Patrick Wigle, said: “This verdict is important because it’s a finding that their gasoline causes cancer.
“ExxonMobil has known for decades that benzene causes cancer, yet they resisted warning the public and taking basic precautions to warn the public and limit exposure.”
Reacting to the verdict on its part, an Exxon representative described the verdict as “illogical” and stated that the company would request the court to overturn it and that it intended to “pursue all available appeals.”
The New Diplomat reports that Benzene is a chemical compound extensively utilized across the United States. It is commonly used in motor fuels and serves as a solvent for various resins and plastics.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA ) had set strict regulations on the permissible levels of benzene in fuels. This regulation is crucial to control its presence and impact, given the chemical’s potential health risks.
