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Huntington Beach Oil Spill Injury Lawyer

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If you are suffering an injury or illness resulting from the Orange County oil spill, contact the attorneys at DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo for help. Our Huntington Beach oil spill injury attorneys understand the life-altering effects an injury or illness can have on your finances, health, and quality of life, and we can help you secure the compensation you deserve for your losses. Contact our oil spill injury lawyers today to schedule a free case consultation.

Why Choose DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo?

If you have sustained an injury caused by an oil spill, you need to turn to a team that has extensive experience handling these types of claims. DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo is ready to help you through this.

  • We have been helping individuals in Huntington Beach for more than 40 years.
  • Our team is focused on recovering maximum compensation on your behalf from the insurance carriers, juries, or judges that we appear before.
  • We provide a team of attorneys, economists, accident reconstructionists, physicians, and vocational experts who can work together to ensure the best possible outcome for your case.
  • We focus on providing a client-centered approach to every case that we take, which means that we will listen to your goals and needs as we move forward throughout your entire claim.

What Happened?

On October 3, 2021, over 126,000 gallons of crude oil spilled into the Pacific Ocean, affecting nearly 25 miles of the coastline in Orange County from Dana Point to Huntington Beach. This was Orange County’s largest oil spill in three decades and has resulted in “prompt and aggressive action” by the Coast Guard as well as other government agencies. Cleanup operations are in progress.

What Caused the Oil Spill in Huntington Beach?

The spill was first discovered on Saturday and resulted from a pipeline leak from an offshore production facility owned by Houston-based Amplify Energy Corp. The Coast Guard is investigating if a wayward ship anchor caused the oil spill by striking the pipeline.

Which Beaches Are Impacted in California Oil Spill?

The following beaches have been closed due to the oil spill:

  • The Huntington Beach shoreline and ocean have been closed down between the Santa Ana River Jetty and Seapoint Street.
  • All city and county beaches in Laguna Beach have been closed.
  • In Newport Beach, Newport Harbor has been temporarily shut down.

Harmful Effects of an Oil Spill

On October 3, 2021, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) issued a health advisory advising those who may have come in contact with the contaminants of the oil spill to seek medical attention. According to the HCA’s Environmental Health Division, spilled oil can be dangerous if it makes contact with your skin. Petroleum products contain toxic chemicals such as benzene and aromatic hydrocarbons that can cause health issues –  if exposure to the chemicals is prolonged.

People may come in direct contact with oil while walking in a contaminated area such as the beach. It is important to understand that even when an oil sheen may not be visible, oil contaminants may exist in the water and can be absorbed through your skin. Inhalation of toxic oil vapors or other aerosolized oil compound particles from wind-blown waves can cause these side effects.

Symptoms reported from excessive exposure to oil may include:

  • Skin, eye, nose, and throat irritation
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Upset stomach
  • Vomiting
  • Cough or shortness of breath

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. The elderly, children, and those with respiratory diseases such as asthma are more vulnerable to these side effects after inhaling the oil vapors.

What Type of Compensation Is Available?

If you suffered injuries from the Huntington/Newport Beach oil spill, you may be entitled to economic or non-economic damages.

  • Economic damages are the tangible, measurable losses you have suffered due to your injuries, such as past and future medical bills, lost wages, and diminished or lost future earning ability.
  • Non-economic damages are the more intangible, immeasurable losses you have suffered due to your injuries, including pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment, and emotional distress.

Who Qualifies for a Huntington Beach Oil Spill Lawsuit?

It is important to understand who can qualify for an oil spill lawsuit in Huntington Beach. Offshore oil spills that occur in the Huntington Beach area can lead to massive devastation. The most impacted individuals, at least from a financial standpoint, after an oil spill include the following:

  • Individuals. We understand that any individual who comes into contact with the dangerous oil or chemicals caused by a spill could be negatively affected. First and foremost, we want to make sure that we help individuals who have sustained ill health effects as a result of an oil spill.
  • Commercial fishers. Entire ecosystems can become devastated as a result of oil spills, and this will significantly affect commercial fishers.
  • Tourism business owners. Huntington Beach depends on millions of tourists annually, and any oil spill in this area could devastate this industry.
  • Homeowners. Homeowners in and around Huntington Beach could see their property values diminish as a result of an oil spill.
  • Oil rig workers. Oil rig workers may have to deal with their jobs being sidelined or terminated as a result of a company’s financial losses after an oil spill.

DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo pursues antidotes for individuals and entities suffering from economic losses as a result of an oil spill. This can include business losses, diminished property values, loss of use or enjoyment of land damages, and more. Our lawyers partner with specialists when it comes to oil spills, including researchers, academics, medical professionals, environmental advocacy groups, and regulatory agencies. We will work diligently to recover compensation if you have sustained losses as a result of an oil spill. We help those suffering from chemical exposure, water or soil contamination, land use issues, and more.

Affording a Huntington Beach Oil Spill Injury Lawyer

If you or somebody you care about has sustained losses as a result of an oil spill, we understand that affording an attorney can seem like a daunting task. However, at DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo, we are proud to take oil spill cases in Huntington Beach on a contingency fee basis. This means that you will not have to pay any upfront or out-of-pocket costs related to your case. Our team will only collect legal fees after we successfully recover the compensation you are entitled to for your losses.

Contact Our Huntington Beach Oil Spill Injury Attorney

The injury lawyers in Orange County at DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo understand that you are dealing with a lot, and we are here to help. If you have suffered an injury from an unexpected oil spill, we can support you in the following ways:

  • We will protect your legal rights every step of the way.
  • We will handle negotiations against insurance companies on your behalf – making sure you are not treated or compensated unfairly.
  • We will handle legal paperwork on your behalf, so you don’t have to worry about it during your recovery.
  • We will hire medical experts who can properly evaluate you and calculate your total losses.
  • We will always be available to answer any questions you have.

Contact our Huntington Beach oil spill injury attorneys today at (714) 783-2205 to schedule a free case consultation and get the help you need.

Orange County Oil Spill Resources

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