Court affirms benzene-exposure judgment for former Philadelphia service station mechanic diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia
(Philadelphia, PA – Oct 15, 2026) – The Pennsylvania Superior Court has affirmed an approximately $816 million judgment against ExxonMobil in Gill v. ExxonMobil, a benzene-exposure case brought by Locks Law Firm, along with Waters Krause Paul & Siegel, on behalf of a former Philadelphia gas station mechanic who developed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Chip Becker and Andra Laidacker of Kline & Specter represented the Gills in post-trial motions and in the appeal. The judgment consists of the jury’s $725.5 million verdict plus delay damages added by the trial court.
The decision rejects ExxonMobil’s bid to overturn the jury’s findings on causation, expert testimony, damages, and juror conduct.
ExxonMobil raised several challenges on appeal. The Superior Court rejected each or declined to grant relief, finding that the arguments lacked merit and that the oil company waived certain arguments by failing to raise them properly before the trial court. The court rejected ExxonMobil’s challenge to the admission of the plaintiffs’ medical causation experts, finding no demonstrated abuse of discretion on the issue properly preserved for review. The court declined to grant relief on ExxonMobil’s causation and alleged juror misconduct arguments.
Further, ExxonMobil argued the $725.5 million jury award was excessive and unsupported by the evidence. The majority declined to substitute its judgment for the jury’s and trial court’s assessment of damages, leaving intact the trial court’s refusal to order a new trial or reduce the award. It also rejected ExxonMobil’s claim that the compensatory damages verdict violated the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution, given the complete absence of any legal authority for this novel contention.
“Today’s decision confirms what the jury found — that ExxonMobil’s failure to warn about benzene in its gasoline caused Mr. Gill’s leukemia, and that the company must be held accountable. We are grateful the Superior Court upheld Pennsylvania law and respected the jury’s verdict,” said Andrew DuPont, partner at Locks Law Firm.
“This is an important ruling that supports workers’ rights and confirms what the IARC has stated for years: benzene is a type 1 carcinogen, and companies had an obligation to tell employees of the risk,” said DuPont.
Background on the ExxonMobil Benzene Exposure Lawsuit
Paul Gill worked as a mechanic at a Mobil service station in Philadelphia from 1974 to 1980, where he handled gasoline and benzene-containing solvents daily, often with his bare hands. He was diagnosed with AML in 2019.
In May 2024, after a seven-day trial in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, a jury found that Mobil Oil was negligent, that its gasoline was defectively designed and that Mobil Oil failed to warn of the cancer risks of benzene in its gasoline and that Mr. Gill’s exposure to benzene-containing gasoline substantially contributed to his AML. The jury awarded $725.5 million, including $500,000 to his wife, Diane Gill. In September 2024, Judge Carmella Jacquinto denied ExxonMobil’s post-trial motions and added roughly $90 million in delay damages, bringing the judgment to approximately $816 million.
Andrew DuPont of Locks Law Firm represents Mr. and Mrs. Gill, along with co-counsel Patrick Wigle and Rajeev Mittal of Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel.
About Locks Law Firm
Locks Law Firm represents individuals in catastrophic injury, toxic tort, and environmental matters and has recovered more than $2 billion in verdicts and settlements for its clients. With offices in Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and New York, the firm is known for its benzene and toxic-tort practice. Learn more at www.lockslaw.com.
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