Top Attorneys from Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana and Texas reportedly sent a letter Thursday to the president and Attorney General Eric Holder, asking that a combined state-federal group help prepare guidelines for potential litigation.
The attorneys general of the five southern states, who find themselves and their residents threatened by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, have asked President Obama for federal help in preparing damage assessments, and for guidelines to avoid duplication.
The states' laws vary, so the five seek a fair and equitable process for the lawsuits that are in the preparation stages. For example, Florida provides no cap on recoveries related to natural resource damages. Under federal law, responsible parties also have unlimited liability for clean-up costs. But Federal laws exist that may coincide with those other statutes. The letter states that every effort must be made to ensure full restitution by the parties responsible for the spill, which is now closing in on the Gulf Coast shoreline and is pumping some 200,000 gallons of crude into the water each day it goes uncapped.
If you are affected by the spill in any negative way, you may be able to collect damages and restitution. Knowing your rights is important. The Doan Law Firm has extensive experience in corporate negligence and personal injury litigation and can help direct you. Contact the Doan Law Firm at 1 Riverway, Suite 1700, Houston, TX 77056. Phone: (713) 869-4747 or (800) 910-FIRM.