BP Oil Spill Claims

On April 20, 2010, the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in the largest accidental oil spill in history. Over the next several months, more than 150 million gallons of oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, thousands of individuals, businesses, and governmental entities in Florida and the surrounding Gulf Coast communities have been adversely affected. BP ultimately agreed to establish a $20 billion dollar compensation fund designed to reimburse those who have suffered economic harm as a result of the oil spill.

The law firm of Kelley/Uustal has been working closely with those affected by the oil spill in the South Florida area and The Florida Keys to make sure their claims are properly filed on a timely basis. There is litigation currently pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. This litigation is set for trial in February of 2012, and is a “limitations proceeding” wherein the Defendants (BP, Transocean, Haliburton, and other companies) seek a limitation of their liability pursuant to Maritime law. Pursuant to Maritime law the limitation proceeding requires all persons who have Maritime or State law claims resulting from the oil spill to bring those claims against the defendants. The plaintiffs therefore are people, businesses, and government entities who claim they were injured in the explosion, exposed to oil or its dispersants, or suffered property damage, loss of income, or other economic losses as a result of the oil spill.

Given the nature of the proceeding, it is probable the Court may go beyond the original request to limit the Defendant’s liability to a dollar amount and determine other issues such as gross negligence and the allocation of fault among the Defendants. There also exists the possibility that complex and largely res nova issues of preemption, presentment, preclusion, mandatory joinder, claim-splitting, choice-of-law, statute of limitations, collateral estoppel, and res judicata will also be determined in this litigation.

As such, the findings in this case will likely impact all other litigation and/or settlements arising from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. For this reason, it is recommended that all potential claimants participate  in this litigation in order to properly preserve their claims.

If you think you may have suffered economic or other losses as a result of the oil spill, please contact our office as soon as possible using the following contact information:

Kelley/Uustal
Courthouse Law Plaza
700 S.E. 3rd Avenue, 3rd Floor
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316

(954) 522-6601
(888) 522-6601 (tollfree)

Email Us: contact@justiceforall.com or fill out our case evaluation form.

We are prepared to assist you in preserving your rights and pursing your claim.