Shell...answered a Madison County benzene lawsuit by denying it is responsible for the plaintiff's damages. Jack Brown filed suit last month against Shell, BP Products North America, ConocoPhillips...WRB Refining and URS..., claiming he developed acute lymphocytic leukemia, after decades of exposure to benzene..."Plaintiff's damages were caused solely by the acts and/or omissions of a party or parties other than Shell over whom Shell had no control," states, in part, Shell's affirmative defense..."Plaintiff's alleged injuries and damages were the result of preexisting or subsequent conditions which are unrelated to any product or material emitted, leaked, spilled, dumped or otherwise discharged by Shell from Shell's Wood River Refinery."...At the facilities, Shell and BP processed and stored benzene, a highly toxic chemical classified as a human carcinogen, according to the complaint. The same benzene produced at the facilities discharged into the surrounding air and water, causing Brown to be exposed to the pollutant, the suit states.Brown alleges negligence against the defendants...