The waters along the Gulf of Mexico are the economic lifeblood for many residents in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. Countless businesses depend on the ability to use these waters for fishing or transportation, and a huge number of enterprises feel the sting when it becomes impossible to operate in the Gulf. Many normal, hardworking people have been forced to deal with damage to their business and equipment as a result of the negligence of the companies operating the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform.<\/p>\n
Even more people along the Gulf Coast simply call these waters home. Oil has permeated their property and polluted the air around them. The Downs Law Group fights on behalf all of these individuals so that they get the compensation they need to move forward. If your property has suffered damage from the oil spill, our legal team can be of assistance.<\/p>\n
The fishing community along the Gulf Coast has felt the impact of the Deepwater Horizon disaster more than any other group. During the crisis that followed the explosion and sinking of the oil-drilling platform at the Macondo well site, as much as 40 percent of the waters in the Gulf of Mexico were closed to commercial shrimpers<\/a> and fishermen<\/a>. Many of those same boat operators bravely volunteered to help clean up the spill through BP’s Vessels of Opportunity<\/a> program, only to endure damage to their boats and adverse effects on their health.<\/p>\n Residents throughout the Gulf Coast shoreline have endured similar hardships. Those who live and work on the water in Texas<\/a>, Louisiana<\/a>, Alabama<\/a>, Mississippi<\/a> and Florida<\/a> have all endured physical damage to their homes and businesses \u2014 and extraordinary cleanup costs. The oil and chemicals released into the waters and the dispersants used to contain the spill are harmful to vessels that operated on the Gulf of Mexico following the crisis and to physical property on the shoreline where the slick came ashore. If you are a fisherman or resident who has dealt with the after-effects of this disaster, you can consult with one of our lawyers regarding your specific eligibility for compensation.<\/p>\n The settlement agreement between British Petroleum and the federal government lists several specific types of economic and property damages eligible for reimbursement from the fund created by the agreement. Those categories include:<\/p>\nWhat kind of property damage is covered by BP’s fund?<\/h2>\n