BP Oil Spill Update: Class Action Suit Filed in Alabama
June 1, 2010 – As oil spreads across the Southern Gulf, so too do the ripple effects of the disaster spread. Early last month, a class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Birmingham on behalf of property owners whose properties in Gulf Shores lie directly in the path of the massive oil slick.
The lawsuit accuses BP of negligence by poorly assessing and containing the damage of the ensuing spill. BP is also accused of intentionally downplaying the anticipated effects of the spill in media statements. According to the suit, BP’s actions following the spill are factors in the subsequent decline of tourism and property values in the affected regions.
Along with the fishing and seafood industries, the Gulf Coast economy has long been dependent on tourism. A spokesman for the legal firm who filed the lawsuit stated that rental cancellations have already extended out for months in response to the disaster.
Over the long term, the oil spill could impact the local industry not just in the typically busy summer months, but for many years to come. Commercial fishing grounds have been closed indefinitely, and local tourism officials fear no one will want to travel to the region’s beaches should they be encased in hazardous sludge.
To date, thousands of lawsuits have been filed by plaintiffs in neighboring states, including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida. Marinas, restaurants, and boat dealerships have also filed individual lawsuits against BP, Transocean, and other subsidiary companies and contractors.
The Birmingham lawsuit has been proposed as a class-action suit in order to protect the rights of the numerous individual plaintiffs this slick is expected to affect adversely.
Do I Have an Oil Spill Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, LLP is currently accepting oil spill claims in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. If you or somebody you know has suffered an economic loss due to the BP gulf oil spill, you should contact our firm immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Environmental Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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