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Lawyers seek damages from spreading oil spill

Fishermen employed by BP place booms on Lake Machias. Armies of lawyers are turning their sights to the massive oil slick spreading across the Gulf of Mexico, eagerly seeking damages from the companies at the center of the disaster.



By Guillaume Decamme
Mon May 10, 5:48 am ET

BILOXI, Mississippi (AFP) – Armies of lawyers are turning their sights to the massive oil slick spreading across the Gulf of Mexico, eagerly seeking damages from the companies at the center of the disaster.

Lawyers who faced a massive onslaught of demands after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in 2005 are now flooded with calls from oil workers and local fishermen eager to receive compensation for their losses.

Judy Guice, an attorney based in Biloxi, Mississippi, said the oil spill "has the potential to dwarf Katrina" in terms of the number of lawsuits.

"Katrina was a natural disaster. I had to deal with clients angry at their insurance companies. But the oil spill is a man-made disaster."

British energy giant BP, in trying to stave off the worst US environmental disaster since the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska, is also facing an uphill PR battle to regain its environmentally friendly image, already tarnished by a 1995 explosion at a Texas refinery that left 15 people dead.

Transocean Ltd, which owns the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling platform leased to BP, is also the target of lawsuits, along with Halliburton, which was responsible for cementing the well to stabilize its walls.

The rig exploded on April 20, killing 11 workers before it sank two days later. Over 210,000 gallons of oil are now spewing out of the ruptured well each day.

"People do not necessarily want to sue BP right away," said lawyer James Gardner, who says he is swamped with requests from prospective clients ranging from fishermen to a barber who claimed he might lose customers because people affected by the disaster could no longer afford a haircut.

Gardner practices at three locations in Mississippi. Early this week, he and his associates took out ads in local media urging fishermen, boat owners and restaurant owners to call his office for a free consultation.

Clyde Gunn, another attorney, says he was among the first to sue BP and other companies working on the rig.

The class action lawsuit, of which AFP obtained a copy, was dated April 30, eight days after the platform capsized.

A fisherman, a boat charter worker and three seafood firms in Mississippi are attacking BP and Transocean for "negligence" and say they have suffered an undetermined amount of monetary losses as a consequence of the blast.

According to the lawyers contacted by AFP, at least 65 lawsuits have been filed against BP and its associates since the explosion. BP declined to confirm or comment.

The company has said it would pay all "legitimate" claims.

"It's going to take years before those lawsuits get settled," said Gunn, who recommended his clients to gather bills, tax filings and other documents to determine their losses compared to recent years.

Biloxi boat rental business owner Jim Young said he was considering filing his own complaints against the culprits.

"Until July, I had 65 reservations" he said were worth about 30,000 dollars. "But right now, it doesn't look good at all."

In order to compensate his losses, Young decided to provide BP access to his 50-foot (15-meter) boat to BP to help in the cleanup effort as part of the company's "Vessels of Opportunity" program employing fishermen to help protect the fragile gulf coastline.

"They pay 2,000 dollars a day," Young said, warning that "if they don't call me, I'll sue them. BP is going to owe a lot of money."





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Now isn't that just outstanding... a real timely example of how to "fix" something ... sue the crap out of it.... now that is really going to stop the leak 5,000 feet below the sea's surface ... thanks, and a bet there are just a truck load of "Environmental Lawyers".... again something that really makes a true difference in "evolution" ......

Originally Posted by wessongroup

Now isn't that just outstanding... a real timely example of how to "fix" something ... sue the crap out of it.... now that is really going to stop the leak 5,000 feet below the sea's surface ... thanks, and a bet there are just a truck load of "Environmental Lawyers".... again something that really makes a true difference in "evolution" ......

It's just another cash cow for the privileged.

Just an interesting note from those that are there and "on the ground"

******************************************************************************** ****************************
A bit out of scope but I wanted to share this observation by former NFOIO
analyst and Naval Aviator Jon XXXXXXXXXXX, who
now runs a charter fishing boat service in the Gulf, with his permission.

9 May 2010

'Lots of lawyers, lots of sorry asses looking for a free payday.... We have
fished every day for the past week and are leaving on a three day tuna trip
this afternoon....The front page headline of the Mobile paper reported
tarballs floating up on the beach at Dolphin Island...When you read the
article there were a few black, gravel sized pellets, that the clean-up crew
picked up in sandwich bags.

Our biggest problem is the National Marine Fisheries is closing down
some of our favorite fishing location (no fishing zones). The closure
only affects about 4% of the Gulf of Mexico... that
leaves the other 96% open for fishing for anyone who really wants to
fish....We would rather fish than sue...

Some of the Alabama charter boats are signing up to work for
BP at $2,000 a day... thats a lot more than most
of the could have ever made fishing.. The closure (of fishing areas) off of Al and MS is about
25 miles off shore....Most of the shrimpers never go out that far but they
are already claiming that the can't fish.

Actually I believe our biggest problem is the press and the
politicians are scarring off the tourist..It's sorta like a hurricane
south of Cuba with the press/media predicting
doom and distruction for the entire Gulf coast, scarring the hell out of any
potential tourist - the hurricane usually fizzles out, hits Mexico or comes
ashore with very localized damage.

I don't know what eventual impact this will have,
but for now the scare is bigger than the fact.

Jon

Thanks Teniente, always like it straight from the horses mouth, no BS.... real people telling what is really going on....

The mess which is forming on land is perhaps far worse than the one in the Gulf... just give the "media", "laywers" and Government Agency's a chance .....

You would think we would get better at this kind of stuff, given the funds, personal, communications, training, the list goes on.... but, it seems to always turn in to a big cluster f**k

Can only wish those down there the best of luck.... they will need it...

It's "Dauphin" Island...

Let's not forget the last time this company did us a huge favor.




Absent their shareholders' interests in the early 50s, we could have had an oil-rich ally in the heart of the middle east today.