( September 14, 2026, 10:07 AM EDT) -- CHICAGO — An Illinois federal judge allowed negligence, gross negligence and battery claims to proceed in a lawsuit brought by a former laboratory technician who alleges that occupational exposure to benzene-containing solvents caused his cancer but dismissed strict liability and fraud claims against three chemical companies; the judge also refused to order that the plaintiff provide a more definite statement under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(e)....