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*** UPDATE 07-03-2010 ***
“BP swiftly signed up experts who otherwise would work for plaintiffs. It shopped for top-notch legal teams. It presented volunteers, fishermen and potential workers with waivers, hoping they would sign away some of their right to sue.”
– McClatchy : BP wasted no time preparing for oil spill lawsuits
*** UPDATE 06-30-2010 ***
“For years, the giant swordfish has advertised the area as the “world’s whitest beaches.” Recently, the pristine sand has been drenched in brown and orange shades of oil, which has begun to seep onto large stretches of the 28-mile beach.”
– lsureveille : Pensacola tourism industry impacted heavily by disaster
*** UPDATE 06-09-2010 ***
“In another Gulf Coast state, however, the politics of drilling have turned decidedly sour. A new Quinnipiac University poll released on Wednesday shows that Floridians have abandoned their once robust support for increasing offshore drilling operations.”
The Huffington Post: Support For Offshore Drilling Plummets In Florida
*** UPDATE 06-05-2010 ***
Gulf oil spill’s threat to wildlife turns real
*** UPDATE 5-18-2010 ***
Twenty tar balls that were found by the Coast Guard off Key West on Monday, are being tested to see if they came from the Gulf spill. Tar balls can occur naturally or come from other sources, such as ships. See the video from SunSentenial.com
*** UPDATE 5-17-2010 ***
The discovery of twenty tar balls that have been found off the coast of Key West. Scientists fear that the oil from the transocean explosion is getting caught in a major ocean current that could carry it through the Florida Keys and up the East Coast. Read the Huffington Post Article here.
Florida Oil Spill Pollution and Damage Claims
The BP oil spill that followed the Transocean Deepwater Horizon disaster has adversely affected the coastal waters along the Gulf coast states. The unfolding environmental disaster has immeasurably impacted the fishing industry, tourism and waterway commerce along the coastal states. Lawsuits have already been filed and damages have occurred. Cities in Florida that may be affected include Pensacola, Port St Joe, Carrabelle, Destin, Ft Walton Beach , Panama City Beach and The Florida Keys..
Over 6,800 square miles of federal fishing areas have now been closed as a result of the disaster. The closure extends from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Florida Panhandle. Fishermen from Texas to Florida have been barred from waters that they rely upon for their livelihood. The disaster has been particularly cruel to the fishing industry. They got the bad news that the waters have now been closed just when things were starting to go well for them. The prime spring season was just starting to peak and now they have to wait until conditions improve from this man-made environmental disaster. The fishing waters will probably remain closed for at least another 10 days but it will likely remain closed for a much longer time.
Even if emergency efforts are successful in shutting off the well within a week, fishermen and wildlife officials still don’t know how long it will take for the Gulf of Mexico to recover. The disaster is being compared to Hurricane Katrina, which Louisiana is still recovering from after almost five years.
The situation could get even worse if the oil gets into the Gulf Stream. It could land on Florida’s beaches and there is a possibility that it could whip around the southern tip of Florida and northward up the Eastern Seaboard. The beaches that are a magnet for tourists could be ruined and untold numbers of wildlife could be damaged.
The Pensacola area affected by the oil spill is especially vital for its abundance of shrimp, oysters, red snapper and grouper.
The economic impact of the spill may extend beyond just harming the environment, wildlife and fishing industry. The tourism industry may also be affected including the industries that supply them with goods and services.
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has declared a state of emergency for six counties in Florida. Louisiana also has declared an emergency.
At least eight lawsuits have been filed in Florida and Alabama on behalf of beachfront property owners who claim that the oil spill will damage their rental income. The area’s “sugar sand” beaches are ranked among the world’s top white-sand beaches.
If you have a property damage or income claim regarding the BP, Transocean Deepwater Horizon oil rig spill in the Gulf of Mexico that caused pollution and economic destruction in the Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Gulf coast states, please contact us. Our environmental, property & income damage lawyers have over 50 years experience representing the marine, fishermen, shrimpers and oyster industries. Gordon, Elias & Seely, L.L.P. were one of the first Maritime law firms first contacted to file a lawsuit against British Petroleum, BP and Transocean on behalf of a missing Deepwater Horizon oil rig worker. For a FREE consultation concerning rights and property damage claims, call 800-773-6770.