I receive a lot of questions about “BELO suits” from people that were injured during or after the BP Deepwater Horizon spill. But what is a BELO suit? BELO is an acronym for Back End Litigation Option, and it is a type of lawsuit for people who were injured while at work during the BP Spill who did not collect workers’ compensation for whatever injury they suffered at the time. Because they did not seek workers’ compensation payments at the time, their injury claims remain viable for litigation now. As I will discuss later in this blog post, recent scientific discoveries regarding the after-effects of oil in the Gulf ecosystem suggest that there is good reason to be concerned about the long-term health of those who worked on the cleanup efforts.
Were you affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill? Did you participate in the cleanup effort or come into contact with dispersants? Those activities may entitle you to a portion of settlement funds. If you think you are entitled to some of the BP Deepwater Horizon settlement, having experienced counsel help you attain your fair share is critical. Barrett Law has expertise in Gulf oil spill litigation and has the experience to help you through this process. Contact us now at (601) 790-1505.
The BELO Process
The BELO process allows a cleanup participant who developed a medical condition as a result of his or her work but did not seek workers’ compensation benefits for that injury to sue BP for that condition—if the person meets certain requirements set out in the medical benefits settlement. This is becoming a more frequent issue, with an increasing number of BELO suits being filed each year. These suits get in line with the 6,389 other “Notices of Intent to Sue” BP that have been filed under the settlement agreement. As of today, about two-thirds of those claims have been approved.
Latest Science is Troubling
A recent study, led by Dr. Mark A. D’Andrea from the University Cancer and Diagnostic Centers sought “to investigate the potential health effect of the oil spill exposure by the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico and dispersant use in subjects who were involved in the oil spill clean-up activity along the coast of Louisiana.” He conducted his study by taking blood samples of those who worked on the clean-up effort and those who did not. Dr. D’Andrea went into the study knowing that hazardous chemical such as benzene can leach into oil cleanup workers’ skin during any oil spill cleanup process. The results of the study were deeply troubling. Specifically, Dr. DiAndrea found that, “clean-up workers exposed to the oil spill experience significant health effects, specifically, altered blood profiles and liver enzymes that may lead to the development of hepatic or blood related cancer. Thus, clean-up workers are at a higher risk of developing health problems following exposure to the oil spill.”
What Should You Do If You Were Injured or Harmed By the 2010 BP Oil Spill?
If you were harmed as a result of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill or its cleanup, you are due compensation for your losses. You may have heard that it is too late to file a claim or that there is no longer a way to attain compensation for your damages. The only way to understand your options is to hire an attorney with extensive experience in getting BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill claims paid.
Call Barrett Law now, an experienced Mississippi BP Oil Spill law firm, to represent you if you were harmed as a result of the Spill. Barrett Law has the experience to take on oil spill defense attorneys that are focused on denying your compensation for the harm you experienced. Contact us now at (601) 790-1505.
