Impact of the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster

Last year’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused tens of billions of dollars in losses and damage to individuals and businesses who rely on and enjoy the Gulf of Mexico. Thousands of square miles of waters have been closed to fishing, swimming and/or boating, and thousands of square miles of historic coastal marshes, cypress forests, barrier islands, and white sand beaches have been compromised. Fishermen and marine businesses have lost and continue to lose income and be put out of business; the tourism industry and hotels, resorts, restaurant owners, and other tourism-reliant businesses have lost and continue to lose income; and property values along the Gulf of Mexico coastline have dropped sharply due to the Spill.

While it has been reported that the majority of the surface oil has been collected, burned, dispersed or broken down, subsurface plumes and seafloor mats may still cover extensive areas potentially larger than the surface slicks ever were, continuing to threaten ecosystems throughout the water column, and the health of the Gulf Coast

This environmental and economic disaster would never have occurred if BP and the other companies involved in drilling on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, as alleged in class action complaints, followed required safety protocols and precautionary procedures, properly maintained equipment, and used widely available emergency safety technology. Instead, they chose to skimp on safety and cut costs in a short-sighted effort to maximize profits.

Gulf Oil Spill Lawsuit News

On August 10, 2010, all cases filed against defendants in federal court were transferred to U.S. District Court Judge Carl Barbier in the Eastern District of Louisiana.

On December 15, 2010, master complaints were filed on behalf of fishermen, property owners, business owners, and wage earners affected by the Spill against BP, Transocean, Cameron, Halliburton, and other defendants, seeking compensatory and punitive damages for losses caused by the April 20, 2010, Deepwater Horizon blowout and the resulting oil spill.

Since the fall of 2010, the litigation has been in the “discovery” phase. Millions of documents turned over by the defendants have been and continue to be reviewed, and hundreds of depositions of defendants’ employees and other potential witnesses have been and continue to be taken. Meanwhile, industry experts are preparing reports explaining the scientific and engineering details of the defendants’ wrongdoing.

As of June 2011, over 140,000 individuals and businesses have joined the litigation, either by filing a “short form” or a complaint.

Trial Date: February 27, 2012

Judge Barbier has taken an active role in moving the litigation forward swiftly, and he has set a goal of having the first trial in early 2012. That February 2012 trial will address two questions: whether Transocean can take advantage of a centuries-old maritime law that limits the amount of money it could be required to pay for its wrongdoing, and how the total blame for the Spill should be divided among all the defendants, including BP, Transocean, Halliburton, and the many others.

Contact Plaintiffs' Counsel at the Gulf Oil Spill Litigation Group

If you, your business, or someone you know has been negatively impacted by the Gulf oil spill, please contact the lawyers at the Gulf Oil Spill Litigation Group.

We are a team of attorneys in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, and Texas with extensive experience in mass environmental contamination litigation in the South and U.S., including cases arising out of Hurricane Katrina and the 2008 Tennessee Valley Authority coal ash sludge disaster.

Members of the litigation group have successfully prosecuted cases against many of the world’s most powerful corporations, including against Exxon on behalf of thousands of fishermen, landowners and others whose livelihoods were gravely harmed by the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Please contact us today, or you may call us toll free at 866-313-1973 and ask to speak to attorney Annika K. Martin. We will advise of your legal rights and true value of your claim. There is no charge or obligation for our review of your claim.

Many Individuals, Businesses and Communities May Be Eligible to Bring Legal Claims

The BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster poses a severe threat to the economic welfare of the Gulf Coast, including:

1. Commercial fishermen, shrimpers, crabbers, oystermen, the owners and operators of businesses involving commercial fishing, shrimping, crabbing and oystering;
2. Seafood processors, distributors, retail and seafood markets, and restaurant owners and operators, and all those employed by seafood processors, distributors, retail and seafood markets, and restaurants;
3. Recreational business owners, operators, and/or workers, including recreational fishing businesses, commercial guides, and charter fishing businesses who earn their living through the use of the Gulf of Mexico for businesses;
4. Commercial businesses, business owners, operators, and/or workers, including commercial divers, offshore oilfield service, repair, and supply, real estate agents, and supply companies and their employees;
5. Recreational sport fishermen, recreational divers, beachgoers, and recreational boaters;
6. Plant and dock workers, including commercial seafood plant workers, longshoremen, and ferry operators;
7. Boat captains, crew, charterers, workers, and/or volunteers involved in the Vessels of Opportunity program (“VoO program”) who were not adequately compensated for their work or time in the VoO program and/or whose property was damaged as a result of their work in the VoO program;
8. Owners, lessors, and lessees of real property alleged to be damaged, harmed, or impacted, physically or economically, including lessees of oyster beds;
9. Hotel owners and operators, vacation rental owners and agents, and all those who earn their living from the tourism industry;
10. Banks, financial institutions, and retail businesses that suffered losses as a result of the Spill;
11. Persons who utilize natural resources for subsistence
12. Oil service, exploration and/or drilling service companies, workers, providers, or suppliers who have lost income, profits and/or earning capacity as a direct result of the adverse effects of the Deepwater Horizon blow-out and Spill on deepwater exploration and/or drilling in the Gulf of Mexico (including, but not limited to the Moratorium issued
    by the United States Department of Interior);
13. Automobile and boat businesses, dealers and service stations and the employees thereof who have suffered damages, including loss of business, loss of income and lost profits, as a result of the Spill.

Each of these victims of the Gulf Spill may be eligible to bring legal claims against BP and the other defendants.

Damages related to this disaster may include real or personal property damages; loss of profits and earning capacity; loss of subsistence use of natural resources; increased costs of public services; and loss of government revenue.

Again, please contact the attorneys at the Gulf Oil Spill Litigation Group. We will fight for justice on behalf of individuals and businesses who rely on the health of the Gulf of Mexico and who have been harmed by the Deepwater Horizon Spill.