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Mississippi River Oil Spill Lawyers

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Information Regarding Mississippi River Damage Claims

Breaking News:
Parker Waichman Alonso LLP has filed suit on behalf of two New Orleans residents who suffered damages as a result of the Mississippi River oil spill that occurred on July 23, 2008

The lawyers and attorneys at our firm are offering FREE consultations to anyone who suffered either property or economic loss or business interruption as a result of the Mississippi River oil spill that occurred near New Orleans on July 23, 2008.


While oil spills may be contained and cleaned up within days or weeks of their occurrence, the consequences of oil spills can last much longer. The cost in lost business, property damage and illnesses caused by accidents like the Mississippi River oil spill can easily reach billions of dollars. Toxic oil can leach into the soil and ground water of a community, poisoning residents for years to come. The toxic fumes emitted by oil spills can injure people living nearby, especially the very young and very old.

The Mississippi River Oil Spill

The Mississippi River oil spill occurred when a 600-foot tanker and a barge loaded with fuel collided. The spill occurred about 1:30 a.m. central time near the Crescent City Connection, a pair of New Orleans bridges. A smell which many people thought was diesel was noticeable in the French Quarter and parts of New Orleans' central business district.

The tanker was fully manned with a crew of 22 and was heading downriver when it T-boned the barge. The barge split in half, spilling more than 419,000 gallons of tar-like oil into the river. The double-hulled tanker Tintomara was loaded with about 4.2 million gallons of biodiesel and nearly 1.3 million gallons of styrene, but was not leaking.

The barge's owner, American Commercial Lines, immediately took responsibility for the accident. It is the intention of our oil spill injury lawyers to make sure that American Commercial Lines fully compensates all individuals and businesses that have been adversely affected by this mishap.

The safety of the New Orleans water supply was one of the most pressing concerns following the oil spill. Officials in New Orleans said the fresh water intake for New Orleans' west bank was below the spill, but the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board reported it had enough water stored to last a day to a day and a half. It was hoped that would be enough time for the spill to clear the area without endangering the water quality. All water intakes and sensitive environmental areas downriver from the spill were boomed off to keep the toxic fuel oil out. People living in Algiers, Gretna, St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parish were asked to conserve water.

As a result of the oil spill, the coast guard shut down a 29 mile stretch of the nation's most important waterway. Multiple oil clean-up crews were called in to clean the spill. Officials said the clean-up would take days and involve about 200 workers using booms and skimmers to remove the toxic chemicals.

Long Term Impact of Oil Spills

The oil spill injury lawyers at our firm have seen how incidents like the Mississippi River oil spill can devastate communities. Oil spills are one of the worst environmental disasters, causing both short-term and long-term pollutant side effects. Consequences of oil spills include dead and dying wildlife, tarred beaches, damaged fisheries and contaminated water supplies.

Fuel oil contains numerous materials that pose both short-term and long-term dangers to humans, including benzene and chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. Short-term exposure to benzene causes dizziness and nausea, and long-term exposure has been linked to leukemia and other maladies, according to the EPA. The EPA says some PAH chemicals are carcinogens.

Exposure to high levels of petroleum products, such as the fuel oil released during this accident, can cause health effects, primarily on the nervous and respiratory systems. People who inhaled elevated air levels of fuel oil vapors for short periods of time have experienced nausea, increased blood pressure, eye irritation, headaches, light-headedness, and poor coordination. Longer term exposure to elevated levels of fuel oil vapors can cause similar effects on the nervous and respiratory systems and may also affect the blood, liver and kidneys.

 Oil or other petroleum products that come in contact with the skin may cause irritation and blistering in some people. The elderly, the very young, and people with respiratory diseases may be especially sensitive to the effects of inhaling petroleum vapors. Long-term exposure to petroleum product vapors should be minimized to the extent practical. If petroleum odors are present, measures to reduce long-term exposures should be considered.

Legal Help for Victims of the Mississippi River Oil Spill

If you or a loved one suffered physical injury and/or economic damages as a result of the July 2008 Mississippi River oil spill, you have valuable legal rights. Please fill out our online form or call 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636) to discuss your case with one of our experienced oil spill injury lawyers.