How to File Your Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Claim

There are three types of claims you may be pursuing related to the Deepwater Horizon incident: (1) Body, Injury or Illness; (2) Property Damage; and/or (3) Loss of Income.  You may be filing multiple claims.  Each claim should be filed separately and be given its own unique claim number.  Our maritime law firm recommends that you do not file for a body, injury or illness claim without first speaking to an experienced offshore injury lawyer.   Texas Maritime Lawyer Matthew Shaffer is very involved in the pending injury and wrongful death litigation and is happy to answer any questions regarding your maritime injuries via email at mshaffer@smslegal.com or by phone.

For claims arising out of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and subsequent oil spill, BP has established an online claims form and a 24/7 toll-free claims hotline (1-800-440-0858) for those wishing to make a claim for damages.  The online claim form is available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. 

The remainder of this article will solely address economic damages sustained by coastal communities.  If you file your oil spill property damage claim or your oil spill business interruption claim without using a lawyer, you will start off by contacting BP.  Once you contact BP to make your claim, you will be required to give a detailed description of your loss.  The closer you get to a specific amount of loss, the more likely you will receive an adequate sum.  Your claim number will be assigned once you complete the online form or speak to a claims agent on the phone.  Please make sure to keep record of this claim number and use it on all correspondence with BP and use it in any interaction you have with a maritime lawyer regarding your oil spill claims.  The larger and more complex your oil spill claim is, the sooner we believe you need to seek legal advice.  Once you have your claim number, an adjuster will investigate your claim.

With the amount of oil spilling into the Gulf daily, there is a good chance you will suffer long-term, significant damage to your business in an industry such as shrimping, fishing, or hospitality.  You may have already suffered damage to your personal or commercial property along the Gulf Coast.  You may be dealing with extensive business interruption stemming directly from the oil spill or the government-mandated offshore drilling moratorium.  Our Gulf Coast maritime lawyers are here for you during this time.

For more information on how to file your claims with BP and to find out what government resources may be available to help you financially at this time, please visit the government's disaster assistance web site.  While an attorney is not necessary for you to file your loss of income, business interruption or property damage claims with BP, the maritime lawyers of Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P. recommend that you speak with experienced counsel who are involved in the pending litigation before you undertake the claims process alone.  We are here to help and are proud to have served the hard-working men and women of the Gulf Coast for over 45 years.