Court Overturns Finding That Linked Worker's Cancer to Benzene Exposure

A Louisiana appellate court overturned a finding that a worker’s industrial exposure to benzene more likely than not caused him to develop lung cancer. Case: Pizzuto v. Chalmette Refining LLC, No. 2024 CA 0524, 05/19/2026, published. Facts: Joseph Michael Pizzuto filed a workers’ compensation claim in 2021 after he was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer. Pizzuto asserted that his cancer came from his exposure to benzene while employed by Chalmette Refining LLC. Procedural history: The Office of Workers’ Compensation found that Pizzuto carried his burden ...