The BP - Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast has become an environmental and economic disaster for the Mississippi River Delta. The residents of Florida’s Panhandle beaches and tourism related businesses are weary as the oil has been flowing for over a month.
Florida Tourism Businesses Affected by Deepwater Horizon Accident
Florida tourism businesses have already been affected by the Gulf oil spill because many travelers have canceled their summer vacations in Florida, while others who would normally begin making plans for their Florida getaways are still on the fence or worse, making plans for travel to places in South Carolina and Georgia. As of yet, no oil has affected Florida beaches and hopes remain high that there will be minimal damage to our natural resources here.
Are You Eligible for Compensation?
If you’re a Florida business owner you may or may not be eligible for compensation depending on the industry you’re in. Fishing and marine related business may have the biggest claim as they are directly affected. Hotels and restaurants may also have claims, but proving damages may be more difficult. Indirect industries like travel advertising, tour operators, beachside vendors, local attractions, etc. may be at the bottom of any compensation pool. Since Republicans have blocked the raising of the $75 million cap on oil spill damage claims, the pool of cash may not be very deep.
Florida Industries Affected by the Gulf Oil Spill
Commercial Fishermen, Shrimpers and Seafood Distributers
Commercial fishing is, potentially, the most affected by the Deepwater Horizon accident. Fisheries could be devastated for years if the oil moves to the Gulf waters in the Florida Panhandle and beyond. Lost catch, damage to boats, gear and other related losses could be catastrophic to Florida fishermen.
Marine Industry, Charter Boats, Marinas and Recreational Fishing
The marine industry is also heavily affected by the Gulf oil spill. Charter boat Captains in Florida are already victims because many of their charter bookings have been canceling ever since the Horizon explosion. Marina’s who sell fuel, bait and fishing gear will also be impacted. Retail fishing bait & tackle shops also lose as fishermen stay home.
Hotels, Condo Rental, Restaurants, Small Attractions and Tourism Based Retailers
Florida Hoteliers have had cancelations ever since the disaster began; they have been further affected by the uncertainty of the path of the oil spill. Who is going to book a distant summer vacation when nobody knows where the spill will go or even when the well will be capped? Many real estate agents and condo owners are also in the same predicament because the phone calls have stopped. Many Panhandle restaurants are seasonal businesses relying on the bulk of their income coming from visitors during the summer vacation season. Even miniature golf and local tourism based retailers, such as beach supply stores, will have lower sales and therefore lower income during the critical summer months of this year.
Florida State, County and City Government
If visitors stay away from Florida beach destinations, state government will lose sales tax revenue during this time due to lack of visitors and residents will lose cash flow due to slow spending. County governments will not only lose sales tax, but bed taxes which fund tourism. City economic development commissions will also get injured and cities may also lose revenue as the state economy is impacted.
Indirect Casualties of the Oil Spill
Real estate agencies, convenience stores, retail outlets, travel based advertisement publishers and the countless workers who survive in someway from the travel industry have been effected. In one way or another we are all impacted by the oil spill that threatens to change the Gulf of Mexico forever.
Liability: BP, Deepwater and Halliburton - Who is Responsible for Damages?
BP will most likely be held responsible for the oil spill. They leased the Horizon rig from Deepwater and have the most skin in the game. However, legal professionals may pursue claims from others.
Deepwater, owner of the Horizon deep water drilling rig, may have some responsibility. They were under contract from BP to drill the mile deep well.
Halliburton was a subcontractor who supplied the concrete to plug the well and engineering to cap it before the explosion occurred.
BP Claim Submission Forms
BP has setup an online claim form here, many reports are claiming BP is handling claims rather well, let’s hope they continue to process claims submitted in a timely manner.
BP Deepwater Horizon Class Action Lawsuit Attorneys
Attorneys are advertising their services to represent injured parties through a class action lawsuit across the state. While I’m not offering any legal advice, I would recommend any settlements be read by a qualified attorney. Many legal firms specialize in an industry or region and you may get better results through a class action lawsuit than going it alone. There seems to be no shortage of legal firms willing to represent injured parties.
Florida Oil Spill Claim Scams
The Florida Attorney General has issued a statement regarding oil spill claim scams:
“Floridians need to be on the lookout for people posing as authorized adjusters and requesting fees for free claims services,”
Whatever your damages, be careful as you seek reimbursement from the responsible parties.