BP contract worker cleans oil from a marsh near Venice, LouisianaWin McNamee
While BP PLC struggles to control its Gulf oil spill, another battle is taking place on dry land. It's the fight for plaintiffs, as Gulf Coast law firms rush to sign up potential clients.
Several law firms are competing online to offer free consultations and no-obligation meetings to anyone who thinks they may have a case against BP. Most offer oil spill news, along with a dash of down-home marketing.
Taylor Martino Zarzaur, a Mobile, Ala, law firm, displays a picture of the Deepwater Horizon rig in flames on its website. Beneath is a photo of the firm's lawyers in casual attire, along with an invitation to contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. "Representing accident victims for over 25 years," the site boasts.
Lawyersandsettlements.com, which bills itself as "America's premier online legal news source," makes things even simpler with a "click here" button that allows you to send in your claim to a lawyer for a "NO COST" review.
Gordon Elias LLP's website offers a photo of birds along the oil-tainted Gulf Coast along with a quick rundown of who may have a case, ranging from businesses that serve tourists to port workers and fishermen.
The site notes that the law firm was one of the "first Maritime law firms contacted to file a lawsuit against British Petroleum, BP and Transocean on behalf of a missing Deepwater Horizon rig worker." It invites readers to contact the firm for a free consultation.
Several class-action lawsuits have already been filed in Texas and Florida as a result of the oil spill and many more are expected to follow.
Staff