A former petroleum inspector was recently awarded $17.5 million in his suit against several major oil companies. The man had sued after he was diagnosed with leukemia, which he contracted after prolonged exposure during his work tobenzene, a dangerous and cancer-causing chemical.

The man's job as a petroleum inspector required him to work around ships and barges throughout southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas that transported petroleum. At age 48, he was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia. Although he is currently in remission, it seems the disease could come back at any time. As Lake Charles readers are aware, leukemia is a very dangerous disease and it can be very difficult to fight.

Both the disease and the aggressive treatment is requires have kept the man from working in his chosen profession and he was also forced to pay large medical bills. Those factors helped convince the 12 members of the Calcasieu Parish jury that he deserved to be compensated for the harm done to him. The jury returned a verdict just under $17.5 million.

The suit was filed against Texaco, Inc., Unocal and Chevron USA, Inc.

The plaintiff was represented by a Beaumont, Texas- based law firm and by Baggett, McCall, Burgess, Watson & Gaughan. One of his attorneys said the decision confirms that workers and people are still important in the eyes of the law and that the sort of behavior that allowed an innocent person to come into contact with a known carcinogen will not be tolerated.

Sources: The Southeast Texas Record, "PU client reaps $17.5M award for benzene exposure," David Yates, Feb. 21, 2012