Clifford Law Offices Files Lawsuit Agains AMOCO in Another "Cancer Cluster" Case

Robert Clifford has filed a lawsuit Friday (April 8) on behalf of a 61-year-old man who developed cancer after working with toxic chemicals at an Amoco lab for 13 years.

George Varney, along with what is estimated to be as many as 20 other people, developed cancer after working at the Amoco Research Center in west suburban Naperville. It has been called a "cancer cluster" area because the incidence of brain cancer among workers there is as much as eight times higher than that of the general population.

A handful of other cases, many involving brain tumors, were previously filed and all were consolidated Thursday (April 7) in Cook County Circuit Court before Judge Judith Cohen.

"It is difficult to ignore the fact that all of these workers, many of whom sit within just feet of each other, have developed cancer, some of them very rare forms of the disease," Clifford said. He is the principal partner of Clifford Law Offices , Chicago.

The lawsuit filed Friday alleges negligence as well as intentional conduct on the part of BP Amoco and seeks compensatory damages.

"The rate of those with cancer is unusually high in that facility, particularly among those who were were exposed to toxic chemicals," Clifford said. "Company officials knew of the dangers at the lab as well as the faulty ventilation system which created an unsafe working condition for years."

BP Amoco is an oil giant based in London that was created last year when British Petroleum acquired Amoco of Chicago.

In a New York Times article that appeared earlier this week, Amoco officials have called these incidents a "terrible tragedy" and have acknowledged that if the cause is determined to be work-related, the company would compensate victims for their injuries.