If you were injured in an oil spill--such as the Gulf Coast disaster that occurred in 2010--you could be entitled to financial compensation for any physical harm you suffered. Class action lawsuits regarding medical benefits for offshore workers and residents affected by large-scale oil spills have been enacted nationwide.
A class-action lawsuit is a legal "umbrella" action that may be enacted when a high volume of victims suffer damages—including physical harm or property damage—caused by the same source. These cases may be consolidated and heard in one court session in order to uphold justice on behalf of the harmed while at the same time preserving the limited resources of the legal system from being drained.
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 states those parties responsible for an oil spill are also financially responsible for any damages it may cause. In the case of the Gulf Coast spill, a number of class action lawsuits have been filed against British Petroleum (BP) on behalf of those who suffered physical harm caused by the Deepwater Horizon explosion. One such lawsuit—known as Multi-District Litigation (MDL) No. 2179—encompassed 77 different claims and resulted in a $20 billion fund agreed to by BP at the request of the federal government.
If you or someone close to you was injured in this spill, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries under MDL No. 2179. If you were injured in a different spill, talk to an offshore injury lawyer to learn if a class action lawsuit has been established that affects you. Please do not hesitate to contact Arnold & Itkin to learn more!
Arnold & Itkin represented nearly a third of the crewmembers injured in the Deepwater Horizon explosion.
Because maritime law is so complex and so complicated, it is crucial that you work with an attorney who has an in-depth understanding of how it works and who has proven themselves in similar cases before.
