Environmental Pollutants
Gulf Oil Spill
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Florida Restaurant Oil Spill Lawyers
Weitz & Luxenberg Can Help Members of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association with GCCF Claims
The financial implications for Florida restaurant and hotel owners, operators and employees in the wake of the BP oil spill disaster has left thousands of hospitality-based businesses in the region struggling. Restaurateurs, as well as the owners of hotels and other businesses can get vital information about their legal rights from our oil spill environmental lawyers by completing the form on this page.
IMPORTANT: If your livelihood or property has been affected by the Gulf Coast oil spill, we urge you to seek the advice of a lawyer before signing job applications, requests for financial reimbursement or other documents. You may be signing away your legal rights to take part in an oil spill class action lawsuit.
In April 2010, an explosion and fire aboard an oil rig engaged in drilling operations for BP resulted in one of the nation’s largest environmental oil spill disasters. The oil spill, which took more than 100 days to cap, caused tens of millions of gallons of crude oil to contaminate the water and air in the Gulf of Mexico, resulted in tar balls washing ashore in several states, and resulted in still-unknown damage to Gulf marine life.
Financial Disaster for Restaurant and Lodging Business Owners
In the months since the oil spill, the owners of countless restaurants, hotels, resorts and other hospitality businesses have seen significant drops in their reservations and bookings, which has resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in tourism-related revenues and profits.
As a way to address financial losses, the $20 billion dollar Gulf Coast Compensation Fund (GCCF) was created as a means to reimburse gulf coast area business owners, employees and other residents who have suffered income losses or property damage by the BP oil spill disaster.
Thousands of tourist-driven businesses—even those in inland communities or those in cities adjacent to the Atlantic—reported drops in hotel and restaurant books caused by the concerns travelers had about the oil spill. As a result, many domestic and international travelers made other choices for their summer vacations.
To date, business owners and other have either had their claims denied outright—or have received checks literally paying them pennies on the dollar for their financial losses. Some of the early claim denials were based on overly broad criteria, including the location of the claimant's business and their proximity to the Gulf shores.
Unfortunately, news stories regarding these denials may lead business owners and operators who are not located in or near a Florida coastal town to be of the mistaken belief they are not eligible to submit a claim.
Serious Implications for Other Gulf Business Owners
Tens of thousands of businesses in the gulf region have been affected by the oil spill, including the owners, operators and crew members of commercial fishing vessels and shrimpers. The oil spill has also caused income losses for the employees of the region’s finfish and shellfish processing facilities for restaurants, fish mongers and supermarkets throughout the United States.
The implications for the Gulf seafood industry have also affected the restaurant industry, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in lost tip income for bartenders, servers and bus staffs at these restaurants.
In addition, the owners and operators of many businesses dependent upon summer tourist income found themselves struggling, and were subsequently forced to cut employee hours, consider layoffs—and in some cases—eliminated some seasonal jobs frequently filled by college students and/or low income wage earners in dire need of additional income.
Get Help From Weitz & Luxenberg
For over 25 years, Weitz & Luxenberg’s lawyers have been fighting for the rights of those whose property, health and livelihoods have been impacted by environmental pollution, and we are ready to help you, your family and your business.
If your business or family is facing property damage or business interruption by the BP Gulf oil spill disaster, please complete the form on this page to have your possible oil spill lawsuit reviewed by our firm.
A Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.
see also:
State Compensation Fund
BP Oil Claims News | Weitz & Luxenberg environmental oil spill lawyersGet news, information and a free review of your BP oil spill damage claims lawsuit from Weitz & Luxenberg's oil spill disaster lawyers.
GCCF Claims Information
BP Oil Claims | Weitz & Luxenberg Gulf spill damages attorneysFree legal help and GCCF claims submission assistance is available for business owners and others who suffered financial losses due to the BP oil spill.
BP claims restrictions
Feinberg’s restrictive categories to Gulf oil spill claimsRestrictive catergories by Feinberg on oil spill claims in Gulf
