Our firm is still reviewing new claims related to the BP oil spill settlement. As stated above, the new claims center has opened and will be processing claims until April 2014. One thing most folks don’t know – including lots of lawyers — is that any business in any part of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, as well as the west coast of Florida (all the way to Key West), can qualify for compensation. Generally speaking, any private business in one of these areas which had an aggregate revenue decrease of 15 percent or more over a consecutive three-month time period between May and December 2010, and had at least a 10 percent aggregate revenue increase for the same three months in 2011, is entitled to compensation.

The potential for a claim includes any business, not just seafood or tourism, and it applies to every part of the states or areas mentioned above, no matter how far they are located from the Gulf. Coastal property owners are also eligible to be compensated for their loss of use and enjoyment of the beach during the year 2010. This applies generally to any coastal property in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the panhandle of Florida. Lawyers in our firm are continuing to review and submit claims for:

• Any business of any type in the State of Alabama or Mississippi, or within the specified class in Florida.

• Any business or individual in the seafood/harvesting industry.

• Any business or individual in the Gulf tourism industry.

• Any Gulf or Bay-front property owner

• Any Gulf or Bay-front property owner who rented during 2010.

If you need more information on this subject, or anything else relating to the BP litigation, contact Rhon Jones at Rhon.Jones@beasleyallen.com or Rhon’s Legal Assistant, Sandra Walters at Sandra.Walters@beasleyallen.com.