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Deepwater Horizon Widows Lobby for Maritime Law Changes

Widows of men killed in the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion have hired lobbyists to change how victims’ relatives are compensated for accidents at sea. Two of the oil rig explosion widows hired Sharp & Barnes, according to lobbying disclosure forms.

The widows and our own maritime lawyers want to change existing law so that the relatives of people who died in the Deepwater Horizon-drilled Macondo well explosion and other disasters at sea could seek jury trials that would allow much larger awards than those allowed under the Death on the High Seas Act.

The widows have the backing of the American Association for Justice (AAJ), while business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are firmly against the effort.

The common goal is to amend the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA). DOHSA was signed into law in 1920. If DOHSA is amended and the amendment is applied retraoactively, BP will owe the relatives of the 11 oil rig workers killed in the accident millions of dollars in compensation. Under the current incarnation of the Death on the High Seas Act, compensation is limited to economic damages in the form of how much a victim would earn in salary for the rest of his or her life.

The workers' relatives, AAJ, and Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P. all support the SPILL Act, which expands victims' compensation rights under the Death on the High Seas Act. At this time, the bill has already passed the House and awaits a Senate vote as soon as possible in order to expedite settlement talks with lawyers for BP.

Workers' family members have met with President Obama at the White House to press for his support on the issue. Keith Jones, a Louisiana trial lawyer whose son Gordon died in the oil rig explosion, also met with Obama and reportedly asked him to amend the Death on the High Seas Act. Jones is also an AJJ member, and has been working with the trade group on changing the law in support of the SPILL Act.

The maritime lawyers of Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P. represent multiple injured victims of the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig explosion along with the family of one of the deceased workers. We have been honored to represent injured seamen and their families worldwide for over 45 years.