The states surrounding the Gulf of Mexico remain a popular haven for vacationers and snowbirds. Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida are all destinations for many to get out of town or to invest in a winter home. However, the summer of 2010 proved to be a time when the dreams of many people were seriously damaged by the Deepwater Horizon disaster.<\/p>\n
For 87 days, five million barrels of oil flowed freely into the Gulf of Mexico. More than 2 million pounds of toxic dispersants were used to combat the spread of crude oil. Much of the Gulf of Mexico was closed to non-recovery vessels. Many hotels and other destinations were filled with cleanup workers. The vacations homes that many regular people invested in were damaged by spreading oil and dispersants. If your vacation opportunities were impeded by the Gulf Coast oil spill, the Downs Law Group can advise you about your specific legal options.<\/p>\n
Many individuals own or rent property along the Gulf of Mexico that does not qualify as their primary residence. The BP compensation fund<\/a> was initiated as part of a settlement agreement between the federal government and British Petroleum to compensate residents for damage to their property that resulted from the spill. However, the definition of a resident is limited to those people in certain zones along the shoreline who were present for 60 days during the initial crisis. As a result, many people who own property in affected areas may not qualify as “residents.”<\/p>\n Nevertheless, those who own property along the shorelines and bayous of the Gulf Coast have suffered damage even if they were not present during that time. Damage includes:
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