How might S. 3600 affect other offshore victims?

While Senate bill S. 3600—The Fairness in Admiralty and Maritime Law Act—would be welcome news for the Deepwater Horizon (DH) families, it would still leave other families out in the cold. The Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) sponsored bill would be retroactive to April 19, 2010, the day before the DH exploded and killed 11 workers. It would amend antiquated laws to allow offshore victims’ dependents to collect non-pecuniary damages for grieving and loss of life. However, dependents of other victims from accidents before then would still only be eligible for pecuniary damages for the loss of income. That means nothing would be paid to the parents of an 18-year-old son or daughter who died from their employer’s reckless safety practices if the event occurred before April 19.

Read more about S. 3600 here.