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An overview of the groups who may need justice in the BP disaster

At first, it was relatively easy to identify those who suffered in the April 20 Deepwater Horizon explosion. Then, it was clear who the victims were: those workers on the rig who were killed, injured and traumatized. Attorneys flocked to the scene en masse within hours of the event.

Since then, as millions of gallons of oil have continued to pour into the Gulf from the Macondo well, the dynamics of the disaster have expanded to affect potentially tens of thousands of Gulf Coast residents and businesses whose livelihoods threaten to be forever destroyed.

The following is a list of major categories of those who may consider seeking legal redress from the crisis:

Deepwater Horizon blast victims and families. 11 workers were killed, 17 injured and countless others are suffering post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Commercial fishermen. It isn’t only this year’s loss of catch but the potential damage to the reproduction process and food chain may take years from which to recover. Many are in their third or fourth generations of making a living on the water; the thought of being the last of the family line is itself a psychological blow that cannot be measured.

Dive shops and SCUBA operators. Several diving companies have just filed a class suit for damages including loss of business income, profits and earnings capability.

Hotel and beach property owners. It will be difficult to fill rooms in vacation properties and hotels when the sands could be coated with oil for years to come. Even on beaches that remain clean, properties have already suffered significant loss of business because fears of contamination have prompted travelers to cancel bookings.

Oil spill cleanup workers. Much like the China Syndrome became synonymous with Three Mile Island, Oil Spill Syndrome (OSS) comes to mind when describing the debilitating effects of the BP oil spill upon cleanup crews. The symptoms of OSS include nausea, shortness of breath, rashes, headaches and chest pains. They are caused by exposure to oil and toxic dispersants used to break up oil spills such as the one in the Gulf of Mexico. In the first two months of the Deepwater Horizon crisis, 407 complaints about oil exposure were reported to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Over 100 complaints of so-called Oil Spill Syndrome were made in Louisiana, 78 of them coming from BP cleanup workers.

Other oil platform workers. At least one rig located near the Deepwater Horizon was evacuated and those employees are out of work. The federal government is still trying to implement its overturned six- month ban on offshore drilling and if that happens scores of offshore workers will suffer.

Oyster fishermen. Oysters are unable to move away from a contaminated area.

Restaurant / Bar industry. Restaurants have been forced to dramatically raise their prices because the supply of local catches has been sharply diminished. There has been a loss of some customers who fear eating contaminated seafood.

Seafood processors. Jobs are being lost and employee hours curtailed due to the closure of fishing grounds and contamination of product.

Shrimp fishermen. Many shrimping grounds have closed.

Tourist operators. Businesses relying on tourists such as restaurants, hotels, charter boat operators and other enterprises are at risk of lost revenues or outright closures.

For those whose lives may be impacted by the oil crisis, consider consultating with an experienced offshore law firm.

Learn your rights as a seaman by ordering free copy of The Insider's Guide to Winning Your Maritime Injury Case written by Jones Act and maritime accident injury lawyer Brian Beckcom.

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