Deepwater Horizon Loss Of Income Claims
Individuals and businesses impacted by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill resulting from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig explosion are entitled to collect damages for loss of income and profits. Such damage claims are allowed under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. Commercial fishing, tourism, and even other oil drilling enterprises are just a few of the industries that have already taken, or are expected to take, an economic hit because of the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
If you work in an industry or own a business that was impacted by the Deepwater Horizon accident, our oil rig spill lawyers can help you collect damages for your lost income. Individuals and businesses who suffered loss of income because of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and spill need to obtain legal counsel with experience in the area of oil spill liability as soon as possible. Our oil rig explosion lawyers are currently offering free case evaluations to individuals and businesses that have sustained a loss of income from this disaster.
INDUSTRIES AFFECTED
The Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and spill has already adversely impacted many businesses and industries in the Gulf of Mexico and along the U. S. Gulf Coast. As the massive oil slick makes landfall, it has the potential to affect even more.
Oil spills like the one spawned by Deepwater Horizon have the potential to devastate nearby ecosystems for years. This could be disastrous for the commercial fishing industry along the Gulf Coast. The oil spill could lead to mass mortality and contamination of fish and other food. The toxic effects from the oil can interrupt the food chain on which the fish and sea creatures depend, and it can damage their ability to reproduce. If this happens, it could be years before commercial fishing is able to recover.
In Louisiana alone, commercial fishing is a $2.4 billion dollar per year business. There are major harvesting areas for oysters and shrimp in the eastern part of Louisiana and Mississippi, close to the spill’s area. Louisiana and Mississippi recently opened its Gulf waters to shrimp fishing as fishing season begins. But it’s not possible to fish for shrimp in waters that are polluted by oil, so any shrimping areas with visible signs of oil will have to be shut down. The spill could disrupt shrimp, fishing and blue crab harvesting, and could delay or destroy oyster harvesting season.
Tourism also faces a potential economic disaster because of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The slick is threatening the Delta National Wildlife Refuge, a haven for alligators, red-tailed hawks and brown pelicans. It also could foul the beaches that attract millions of tourists to Gulf Coast states every year. If beaches need to be closed for months for cleanup, then hotels, restaurants, tour operators, sport fishing and the people who work for those businesses, will sustain heavy economic losses.
The Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and spill has also impacted other interests in the energy industry. Because of the risk of fire posed by the oil slick, a second offshore rig called Ocean Endeavor, located about 10 miles from the Deepwater Horizon, was evacuated as a precaution. The workers on that rig have suffered a loss of income, and are entitled to damages. Anyone similarly affected would be as well.
Even businesses that don’t depend on the Gulf of Mexico or its beaches for their survival can face economic hardships because of disasters like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. A decrease in soil and water quality near oil spills can cause property values and business activities to sharply decline. This can lead to either temporary or permanent unemployment for many workers, and a significant loss of income.
LOSS OF INCOME DAMAGES FROM OIL SPILLS
Under federal law, businesses or individuals who have lost profits or income due to an oil spill may submit a claim for lost profits or earning capacity. Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, those deemed liable for a spill are responsible for such damages.
If you suffered a loss of income because of this oil spill, you are entitled to damages equal to loss of profits or impairment of earning capacity due to the injury, destruction, or loss of property or natural resources. Anyone with loss of profits or income may make such a claim. You do not have to own the damaged property or resources to submit a claim.
To be valid, you must be able to prove the damage was caused by an oil spill that falls under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.
- Oil must have caused the damage.
- The damage must come about as a result of a discharge or substantial threat or discharge of oil.
- The discharge or substantial threat of discharge must be to a navigable water of the United States.
- The discharge or substantial threat of discharge must come from a vessel or facility.
CONTACT US
If you or your business has been affected by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, contact the oil rig spill lawyers at Davis & Crump, P. C. at 1-800-277-0300 or locally at 228-863-6000, or email us at info@daviscrump.com . Davis & Crump, P. C. is actively handling claims for loss of income, damage to personal and real property, and injuries.