The trial to determine liability for the largest oil spill in U.S. history was set to begin Feb. 27, in New Orleans, Louisiana. However, Judge Carl Barbier, under whom the litigation is consolidated in U.S. District Court in New Orleans, pushed the start date back one week, to March 5. The litigation surrounds the explosion and subsequent sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil platform on April 20, 2010, which killed 11 workers and released thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

Lawyers on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee (PFC), including Beasley Allen attorney Rhon Jones, are representing the interests of individuals including business owners, fishermen, hoteliers, restauranteurs and property owners from throughout the Gulf Coast region, who claim their livelihoods were significantly damaged by the oil spill.

These damages are not just the result of actual oil contamination of marine life and coastal ecosystems, they say, but also from loss of income from industries related to tourism and industry, which were tainted by the specter of toxic pollution.

If the case proceeds to trial as scheduled March 5, it is estimated the complicated litigation could take close to a year to complete.

Sources:
Huffington Post
Troy Messenger

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