Over the past 60 years, oil workers have been known to have an alarming degree of leukemia diagnoses. Although it had often been cited as being a genetic problem, recent studies have shown that even minor exposure to this chemical dramatically increases the chance of contracting any of a number of cancers.

Acute myelogenous leukemia is an extremely rare form of cancer. However, many petroleum industry workers have developed it. Other individuals who are at risk are printing press operators, airplane mechanics and soda production workers.

The reason these professions are particularly at risk is because of the common use of benzene as a solvent for oil based products. If one uses benzene to remove oil however, it is commonly absorbed through the skin and brought into the body.

The other common diseases contracted through occupational benzene exposure are chronic lymphocytic leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and non-hodgkins lymphoma.

There are thousands of lawsuits pending in state and federal court regarding benzene side-effects. There is a wealth of information regarding benzene to be found on the internet. In order to find a benzene specialist, the internet provides many directories of benzene lawyers. Often, information and medical testing will be provided for free by law firms handling these cases. When evaluating an attorney to handle a case, it is very important to ask specific questions about their experience. The vast majority of cases are filed by a small handful of law firms who focus their practice on prosecution of these claims.