As an out of control oil spill continues to grow in the Gulf of Mexico, property owners, business owners, commercial fisherman and real estate rental companies have begun filing suit against the owners and operators of the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling platform.

The Alabama coastline is set for a direct hit from the massive plume of oil that is spreading across the Gulf of Mexico.  According to today’s Birmingham News, Governor Bob Riley has announced that business owners who are affected by the spill will have the ability to file claims for compensation through the State – which Governor Riley expects to eventually be paid by BP PLC.

In advance of these claims, a number of class action lawsuits have been filed in state and federal courts all along the Gulf Coast.  It is expected that the Deepwater Horizon spill will have a devastating economic impact across the Gulf Coast from Florida to Louisiana.  Experts predict loss of business for the entire area and that property values will suffer in what is already a difficult real estate market.  Cancellations for vacation rentals are already being reported, and businesses that rely on tourist dollars are preparing for the worst.

Combining the economic impact that this oil spill will have on the State of Alabama with the immeasurable impact that the contamination will take on the entire Gulf ecosystem, this is a disaster that will affect all the residents of the Gulf Coast for years to come.

For more information on claims that have been filed on behalf of businesses and property owners, please visit our About Us page and contact HILL | TURNER LLC with any questions you may have.