The oil from the Transocean Horizon BP massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was coming ashore, threatening Florida’s wildlife, including shrimpers, fishermen, commercial fishermen, crab fishermen, seafood workers and other businesses who have suffered lost profits or income from the oil spill. Government officials indicate that the Transocean Horizon BP Offshore site continued to spill about 5,000 barrels or 200,000 gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico every day. At that rate, the spill is the worst oil spill in U.S. history.
A federal law known as the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA”) provides that those who are responsible for discharge of oil must pay not only the removal costs, but also damages for lost profits or impairment of earning capacity due to the injury, destruction or loss of real property, personal property or natural resources.
Some of your claims for oil spill damages may include:
Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill News
Gulf of Mexico oil spill: Attorney generals press BP for answers
Five US attorney generals have written to BP asking it to clarify how it intends to honour "legitimate" compensation claims over its growing oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico.
The pressure on BP to clarify exactly who will qualify under the oil company's pledge to "pay all necessary and appropriate" costs comes amid unconfirmed reports that oil has touched land.
Robert Dudley, vice-president for BP America, suggested that the oil company's deepwater ambitions could be permanently damaged by the slick.
Around 5,000 barrels of oil per day continue to gush into the ocean from one of BP's wells, after a rig operated by a contractor sunk with the loss of 11 lives.
Mr Dudley said BP "will consider the trade-offs of exploring for new energy in the frontiers of deep water" after the current leak is stopped, adding that the accident will change the offshore industry forever.
The cost of the episode is mounting for BP, with estimates reaching $30bn (£20.3bn). Transocean, the rig operator and owner, is insured but said yesterday that its cover would be insufficient by around $200m.
Last night, US President Barack Obama signalled that he supported plans to raise liability limits for environmental accidents from $75m to $10bn in a sign that BP's costs will not have a low cap.
More than 70 lawsuits, almost all class actions potentially involving thousands of claims, have been filed against BP and Transocean.
In the attorneys' letter, top legal representatives for Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Texas are also asking Transocean to take the same stand as BP on paying claims.
Troy King, Attorney General of Alabama, said he was concerned by "shameful" and "outrageous" reports that BP had tried to buy off fishermen by offering them $5,000 (£3,300) not to sue.
A waiver was included in contracts the British oil giant gave to fishermen it was recruiting to help tackle the spill. BP said the waivers were included by mistake.
He called on BP to be specific about what it was offering those affected by the economic and environmental disaster.
"We don't know what is a legitimate claim. That's lawyer speak at a time when we need straight talk and clear answers," Mr King said.
A BP spokesman said a letter to claimants sets out their rights clearly.
The greatest wealth is health. -Virgil