As the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico continues to expand, it threatens to become the largest ecological disaster in U.S. history and threaten the very way of life of the residents of the Gulf Coast. Affected areas of this massive spill include coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. This disaster was caused when the Deepwater Horizon, an offshore oil platform operated by BP and owned by Transocean, exploded and sank in the Gulf about 50 miles southeast of the Louisiana Delta. The oil well had a device installed called a blowout preventer, manufactured by Cameron International, that was designed to stop the flow of oil in the event of a blowout or other emergency. All indications are that this device completely failed to perform what it was intended to do, causing the well to continuously pour up to 200,000 gallons of oil each day into the Gulf of Mexico. The blowout preventer is located on the sea floor, 5,000 feet below the surface, and Halliburton apparently completed the cementing of the well only days before this disaster. Because of the extreme depth of the well, the flow has not been arrested so far.
If you believe you, a member of your family or your company had lost money as a result of this catastrophe, experienced attorney are here to consult with you about your BP class action oil spill lawsuit options. Contact the Gulf Coast Oil Disaster Network today at 1-877-908-9119.
According to the initial NOAA estimates that were released before the live video feed was available to the public, oil was leaking from the gulf floor at 210,000 gallons per day, or about 2.4 each second. It can be observed from the live feed, however, that figure looks extremely low. Expert sources have now put the oil leak rate at over 1,000,000 gallons per day, but a revised official estimate is not expected until later on this week. You can watch the spill and use the widget below to make your own conclusions about the rate of the oil leak.
Heavy oil has now washed ashore on the Louisiana Coast and Wetlands. This oil has infiltrated the oil booms that were meant to protect these delicate ecosystems.
BP drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico were exempted from an environmental impact study last year after three previous studys concluded that an oil spill was “unlikely”. The Deepwater Horizon oil platform, which exploded and sank on April 20th, was given a categorical exclusion from the National Envoronmental Policy Act on April 6th of 2009.
The seafood industry in the northern Gulf of Mexico is already suffering from the effects of the BP oil spill. Google has provided a map that shows just how large the affected fishing areas are.
The BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico continues to expand. The leak from the 5,000 foot deep well is flowing into the water at 5,000 barrels per day or more. The tourism and seafood industries of the Gulf Coast face devastation, along with their ecosystems. Oil Spill Lawsuit damages from this spill may include but aren’t limited to:
Losses in Commercial Fishing
Losses in the Shrimping Industry
Losses in the Oyster Industry
Losses in Seafood Packaging
Losses in Seafood Processing
Losses by Dock or Marina Owners
Damages to Private Boat Owners
Losses to Restaurants or Other Tourism-Related Businesses
Damages to Personal Property
Damages to Real Estate
Loss of Rental Income
Loss of Vacation Deposit
Losses to Local Governments
Losses to State Governments
If you, a member of your family or your business has suffered as a result of this massive spill, your should probable consult with an attorney to see what your oil spill lawsuit options may be.
The spill in the Gulf of Mexico has spelled economic devastation for coastal Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana. If you have suffered losses as a result of this spill, experienced attorneys are here to consult wil you about the possibility of joining an oil spill lawsuit.
The Gulf Coast Oil Disaster Network is here to help. Call us today at 1-877-908-9119.
