Is Corexit 9500 the new Agent Orange?

In the first two months of the Deepwater Horizon crisis, 407 complaints about oil exposure were reported to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Over 100 complaints of so-called Oil Spill Syndrome were made in Louisiana, 78 of them coming from BP cleanup workers.

A spokesman for a medical facility near New Orleans said that 11 patients came to the ER since May 26 with reactions suspected to be from exposure to chemical dispersants used in the Gulf. Most of the patients stayed two to three days with symptoms including severe headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath and skin rashes.

The label for Corexit 9500, the dispersant sprayed by BP to break up the spill, has a warning to “avoid breathing vapor” and “wear suitable protective clothing” but workers were only provided a paper suit, said court documents. This exposure is complicated by the fact that workers have toiled in 110 degree heat indexes.

There have been several cases of behavior changes reported by cleanup workers, including depression.

Wednesday, a charter captain who had operated his boat under BP’s Vessels of Opportunity program took his own life with a gun shot.

Medical experts are concerned about the long term effects of chemical exposure. Will it cause kidney, lung and liver damage?

Just as the defoliant Agent Orange caused high numbers of cancer deaths among those exposed to it during the Vietnam War, will Corexit 9500 end up with the same skull and crossbones reputation years from now?

There have been 6,722 cases of upper respiratory illnesses believed to be caused from chemicals used in the Gulf of Alaska.

If you believe you are suffering from Oil Spill Syndrome and were inadequately provided with personal protective equipment (PPE), get medical attention immediately. Then consider seeking qualified offshore legal attention.

Fox News contributed to this report.