Deepwater Horizon crew member? Five reasons you may want to privately consult with an attorney.

I previously wrote a short article discussing five reasons why crewmembers of the Deepwater Horizon may NOT want to hire an attorney immedately.

You may be in a slightly different situation. Here are five reasons you may want to consider hiring an attorney.

1. Your employer is not treating you fairly or you are suspicious of what your employer will do in the future

If your employer made you sign documents or give a statement shortly after the rig explosion, this may cause you to be somewhat suspicious. If you have become suspicions about what your employer is up to, you may want to get a private, discrete legal consultation.

You can also order a copy of my free report, Protect Your Future, which is an extremely valuable tool you can use to figure out whether your employer has your best interests in mind.

2. You don't want to bring a claim against your employer right now, but you want to make sure you understand your legal options

Many of the Deepwater Horizon crewmembers are understandably loyal to their employer and don't want to file a legal claim right away. However, you may think it's a good idea to at least understand completely your legal options. If you think this is a good idea, consider discussing these matters with a lawyer who will agree to keep your discussions private.

3. You're concerned that Transocean and BP's legal manuevers may strip you of valuable legal rights

Transocean and BP have already assembled their legal teams and started doing so immediately after the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion. In fact, both companies have taken legal steps that may ultimately have a negative impact on the legal rights of crewmembers. If you are concerned about what this means for your legal rights, again, you may want to consider a private legal consultation so at the very least, you understand you options.

4. You don't want to sue your employer because you don't think your employer was at fault, but you want to evaluate your options in bringing a legal claim against another company

Some people believe that if they talk to an attorney, that attorney will persuade you to bring a legal claim against your employer, and you don't want to do that.

It's true that some attorneys may try to convince you to sue your employer. But the truth is that you don't have to bring a claim against your employer if you dont' think your employer is at fault, and a good attorney will listen carefully to you before taking any steps that go against your wishes.

5. You're concerned that you'll be left out of any meaningful and fair settlement if you don't have experienced legal counsel on your side

You may be concerned that the crewmembers who have already hired legal counsel and filed legal claims will come out on top in any settlement offers. While it's true that most of the studies indicate that people who are represented by competent lawyers end up with bigger settlements, the best thing to do if you are concerned about being left out of meaningful and fair settlement discussions is to privately consult with a lawyer who you trust has your best interests at heart.

Conclusion

If you were a crewmember of the Deepwater Horizon and are considering bringing a legal claim, please be sure to talk to an attorney who listens to your concerns, follows your instructions, and handles you legal affairs in a discrete and appropriate manner.

If you want to talk to me privately, off the record, with no obligation and at no charge, you can call me at 877.724.7800 or send me an email at Brian@vbattorneys.com.