Types of Chemicals

At the Locks Law Firm, our attorneys have a long history of handling toxic exposure cases. We represent workers who've been injured by various toxic chemicals.

MR. MICHAEL B. LEH: We at the Locks Law Firm have a long history of handling a lot of different types of toxic exposure cases. We got into benzene leukemia cases because we’re handling a case in Hazleton, Pennsylvania and--involving 1,200 people who were exposed environmentally through a gasoline spill. As a result of that, we started handling a lot of occupational benzene leukemia cases as well. Benzene is in a number of different substances; paints, solvents, inks, gasolines and it causes a number of different diseases, primarily acute myelogenous leukemia, AML, also Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas and other leukemias. We also handle toxic encephalopathy cases which are—cause toxic encephalopathy, essentially is a disease of the brain and nervous system that results in dementia and can also cause some physical symptoms. Some others we’re involved with are coal tar pitch cases. Coal tar pitch causes a number of different cancers, including lung cancer and peripheral neuropathy cases. Peripheral neuropathy is caused by a number of different substances, again, including lead, MEK and other toxic substances. Many of these exposures and, therefore, the cases and diseases are specific to certain occupations. The benzene cases involve a lot of painters, automobile mechanics, people who work in refineries, people who work in the printing industry. Many of the toxic encephalopathy cases involve railroad workers. The peripheral neuropathy cases could involve a number of different types of exposures. The coal tar pitch cases involve primarily people who work at big aluminum smelting and other large industrial facilities.