Florida Residents Still Have Time to File BP Oil Compensation Claims

During the evening of April 20, 2010, a massive oil drilling rig maintained by BP known as Deepwater Horizon exploded in the Gulf of Mexico following a malfunction of its well system. This incident led to one of the worst environmental catastrophes in decades and the worse oil spill in the United States. The initial blast killed 11 rig workers and burst a wellhead open, forcing a cascade of oil (approximately 4.9 million barrels) into the Gulf waters, eventually spreading to the coasts of Louisiana, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi and drastically altering the environment in and around the Gulf of Mexico for the foreseeable future.

As residents of the Gulf Coast, we were resigned to sit by helplessly while Big Oil toyed with our waters for profit. We had to watch while the oil slicks drifted onto our beaches and as the tourists left them. Due to BP’s reckless disregard for the safety of human and marine life, the oil spill spread across the Gulf, seeping into every facet of the economy and daily life in the Gulf Coast states. Entire fishing communities were immediately placed in jeopardy, Florida’s valuable tourist industry was threatened, individual health concerns arose, and an entire ecosystem was poisoned, as an earlier blog post on this issue addressed. Perhaps the most disgraceful aspect of the tragedy was BP’s attempt to shirk its responsibility for the disastrous effects of the spill, including properly compensating those affected by this tragedy.

Fortunately, at the urging of President Obama, BP established a $20 billion claims fund in June, 2010 for those directly affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The deadline to submit claims is August, 2013.

As members of the Gulf Coast communities that were economically damaged from the BP oil catastrophe, we have a right to submit a claim for fair and reasonable compensation for our losses. There is no question that the effects of this environmental disaster are severe and far-reaching in scope to a variety of businesses and industries in the Tampa Bay, Florida area.

If you have been physically or economically damaged by the Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico, whether through a direct physical injury or a financial impact on your business, the Tampa Bay, Florida injury attorneys at PERENICH The Law Firm can assist you in filing your BP claim before the August, 2013 deadline to help you recover for your losses. As residents of Florida, you deserve to be compensated fairly by BP, and we will explain your legal options to pursue your claim. The founding attorneys of PERENICH The Law Firm are a family of lawyers who are lifelong residents of Clearwater, Florida and the Tampa Bay area. We are honored to offer our resources, background, and experience to help maximize your recovery in your BP compensation claim.