HOUSTON, November 9, 2023 – Baker Botts L.L.P. teamed with law firm Murtha Cullina to obtain a complete jury verdict yesterday in favor of client ExxonMobil in a wrongful death product liability matter related to benzene exposure. Ty Buthod of Baker Botts’ Houston office was lead counsel for ExxonMobil, with assistance from Jennifer Morgan and Lorey Leddy of Murtha Cullina.

On November 8, following a nine-day jury trial, a Stamford, Connecticut jury returned a unanimous defense verdict in favor of ExxonMobil in the case, filed by Kiriaki Yoranidis arising out of the death of her husband, Nicholas Yoranidis, from acute myelogenous leukemia (“AML”) in 2018. Plaintiff had owned and operated an Exxon gas station between 1972 and 1990 and claimed that exposure to benzene from various Exxon products, mainly gasoline, caused Mr. Yoranidis’ AML and ultimately his death. Plaintiff brought this product liability case under theories of defective design and failure to warn. The jury found no product defect , no failure to warn, and found every causation question in favor of ExxonMobil and against the plaintiff. The case is Kiriaki Yoranidis, fiduciary of the estate of Nicholas Yoranidis and Kiriaki Yoranidis, individually v. Exxon Mobil Corporation, Docket No. FST-CV20-6045701, Superior Court, Judicial District of Stamford/Norwalk, Stamford CT.

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