While BP has started paying out on claims to victims of the Gulf Coast oil rig accident, these payments have fallen short of providing many of these individuals and businesses with the relief they need during this time of financial hardship.
Individuals in the fishing, hotel, and tourism industries have been hit the hardest, as the BP oil spill has essentially prevented them from earning a living during the peak season for their business. Due to the massive scale of the oil spill, it is possible that many of these individuals will lose the entire summer season.
Many fishing boats have been kept in port by the oil spill, meaning that boat owners and deck hands are unable to earn any money at all. Many hotel owners and others in the tourism industry have felt the financial crunch as well; there are very few people that want to spend their summer vacation on an oil-marred beach.
To date, BP has established 25 claims offices along the Gulf Coast region and paid $46 million on approximately 17,500 claims. However, there are also roughly 17,500 more claims which have not been paid. They are currently stalled due to problems with documentation. As a result, these people have not received any financial relief at all.
Furthermore, the claim payments made by BP have not come close to compensating victims for their financial damages. Ship captains are receiving $5,000 a month and deckhands are receiving $2,500 per month. However, many ships typically earn $5,000 in a matter of days.
The problem runs much deeper than fishing industry individuals not making as much money as they are used to. Since it is a seasonal industry, these individuals count on the peak summer season to supply them with the majority of their income for the year. Since they are unable to work, they are in jeopardy of losing the bulk of their yearly income. This will make it very difficult to survive during the lean winter months.
Furthermore, many ship owners have recently invested large sums of money on boat repairs and upgrades prior to the peak summer season. To finance these repairs, many ship owners took out sizeable loans from the bank for which they must now make substantial monthly payments. Their $5,000 monthly claim check will hardly cover their operating expenses.
Several environmental law attorneys have also commented that by establishing this claims process, BP has effectively been able to delay the filing of many lawsuits, since victims are receiving some form of compensation. As a result, the oil company has taken control of the process away from our legal system, requiring victims to seek redress directly from the offending party. In this situation, it is important to have a third party that regulates the dispensing of compensation.
Due to the gross financial hardships created from the BP oil spill, it is crucial that you seek the assistance of an experienced oil rig accident attorney if you have experienced lost income or any other damages. By working with an attorney, you will ensure that your rights are properly protected.
If you have a BP oil spill claim, please contact the attorneys at Burg, Simpson, Eldredge, Hersh & Jardine, P.C. today to schedule your free initial consultation. We serve clients in Denver, Colorado and nationwide.
Written by Andrew Martin: professional blogger and guru of misfortune.
