The April 20, 2010 explosion of Deepwater Horizon – an offshore drilling rig operating off the coast of Louisiana – could be the worst environmental disaster in U.S. History. Experts fear that the oil spill will have a dramatic effect on the Gulf of Mexico fishing and tourism industry.
Individuals and businesses may incur damages related to the disaster, including:
Real and personal property damages
Loss of profits and earnings
Loss of commercial use of natural resources
Commercial fisheries, dock and marina owners, waterfront property owners, commercial and private boat owners and city, county, or state governments may face property damages and loss of income as a result of the oil spill.
If you have suffered any property damage, loss of income, diminished earning capacity, or personal injury as a result of the Gulf Coast oil spill, contact our Louisiana oil slick attorneys immediately. Our oil spill lawyers will explain your legal options.
Oil spills like the one spawned by the Deepwater Horizon have the potential to devastate nearby ecosystems for years. This could disastrous for Louisiana businesses. The toxic effects from the oil can interrupt the food chain on which fish and sea creatures depend, and it can damage their ability to reproduce. If this happens, it could be years before commercial fishing recovers.
In Louisiana alone, commercial fishing is a $2.4 billion dollar per year business.
Louisiana recently opened some of its Gulf waters to shrimp fishing, and the state earns $117 million ever year from that industry. 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 oil spill could disrupt shrimp, fishing and blue crab harvesting if it hits Louisiana, and could delay 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, hotels, restaurants, tour operators and sports fishing – and the people who work for those businesses – will sustain heavy economic losses.
If you have suffered any property damage, loss of income, diminished earning capacity, or personal injury as a result of the Gulf Coast oil spill, contact our Louisiana oil slick attorneys immediately. Our oil spill lawyers will evaluate your potential lawsuit and explain your legal options.
The April 20, 2010 explosion of Deepwater Horizon – an offshore drilling rig operating off the coast of Louisiana – could be the worst environmental disaster in U.S. History. Experts fear that the oil spill will have a dramatic effect on the Gulf of Mexico fishing and tourism industry.