"Legal Complications Grow As Gulf Oil Spill Expands"

"As the companies involved in the construction, leasing and operation of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig try to pin blame on one another for the explosion and subsequent spill, the litigation resulting from the spill in the Gulf of Mexico also keeps getting messier.

BP, Transocean, Halliburton, Cameron and others already face dozens of potential class action lawsuits. The legal spectacle resulting from this spill could spread as wide and as deep as the slick itself.

For starters, BP and Transocean face wrongful-death lawsuits brought by families of some of the 11 victims who died in the April 20 blast — as well as ones brought by those injured.

The companies also face other potential class action suits brought by fishermen, restaurants, charter boat companies and homeowners. Municipalities could sue for lost tax revenues. Shipping companies could also sue, if traffic along the Mississippi River gets disrupted."

Yuki Noguchi reports for NPR's All Things Considered May 12, 2010.

See Also:

"Gulf Oil Spill Lawsuits May Be Heard by Panel of Judges" (McClatchy)