Unless you have been living under a rock since April 20 you are aware that BP has had personal injury lawsuits and wrongful death lawsuits filed against it for its actions regarding the Deepwater Horizon blowout and oil spill. But now BP has a new category of litigation to contend with, workplace injury suits by cleanup workers and fisherman.
Workers prepare boom for the cleanup
Since the cleanup response has gotten underway, workers have been complaining of injuries to their health and well being due to the fumes to which they are being exposed.
And these illness are potentially not only related to the oil but to the dispersant as well. BP has been using a chemical known as “COREXIT® EC9527A.” Corexit is increadibly toxic and even though BP was ordered by the EPA to stop using the dispersant they continued to do so.
So, it shouldn’t come as a shocker to learn that a Louisiana fisherman has filed a class action lawsuit against the company in state court in New Orleans. The lawsuit asserts that workers have been exposed to oil, fumes and other chemicals while cleaning the spill. And that this exposure is causing serious and long term personal injuries and illness.
And while this is a new category of lawsuit for BP resulting from the spill, given the nature of the spill and the actions of BP we are sure that there are many similar legal actions against BP to come.
