Fallout From Orange County Oil Spill

Crude Oil May Have Created an Ecological and Economic Disaster

On Saturday, October 2nd, 2021, the oil pipeline owned by Amplify Energy situated off the coast of Huntington Beach, California, was reported to have begun leaking crude oil into the coastal waters of Orange County. Though city officials and Coast Guard were notified as soon as the spill was identified by the Elly oil platform workers, attempts to resolve the leak were too slow to prevent tens of thousands of gallons of crude oil from leeching into the ocean, later washing up on beaches and permeating protected wetlands in Southern California. The spill was reported on the second day of the three-day Pacific Airshow, but the festivities were not cancelled until the third day when it became clear the oil was impacting local beaches along the coast and the wildlife in the area. Fishing waters were heavily polluted by the oil, dead fish and birds began washing up on shore, and the smell of tar and “rotten meat” hung over Huntington Beach and the surrounding cities. Some even reported smelling the stench of an oil spill Friday evening, at least 12 hours before the spill was reported.

If you are a business owner, performer, property owner, event organizer, fisher, or other worker who suffered from loss of revenue or wages due to the oil spill, you could be eligible for legal recompense. Contact McCune Law Group, today by completing the form or calling (909) 345-8110.

The Oil Spill May Cost Workers from Surrounding Areas Millions.

Aside from the millions of dollars in cleanup costs, this catastrophic oil spill cut short one of the most lucrative events in Southern California. According to a 2019 report, the Pacific Airshow generates $68.1 million in overall local spending and $3.4 million more in tourism. With the final day of the event cancelled and the addition of a foul odor on Saturday which could cause customers to flee the area, the oil spill may have resulted in millions in lost revenue for small businesses that rely upon large events like the Pacific Airshow.

Additionally, fisheries from Huntington Beach to Dana Point are experiencing widespread closures until the oil spill is resolved. Unfortunately, it could take months to completely clean the Orange County coast and possibly longer until fish populations have stabilized once more. These closures could cost fisheries along the coast of Southern California millions of dollars and could lead to loss of jobs for fishers.

Stretches of beach were also closed from Huntington Beach to Laguna Beach. With beaches closed as tourists attempt to squeeze one last taste of summer out of the season, a loss of tourism revenue has also distressed business owners, performers, and employees who work on or along the beach.

If you are a business or property owner, performer, event organizer, fisher, or other employee and have lost money due to beach closure, fishery closures, or decreased tourist numbers, contact McCune Law Group, by filling out the form or calling (909) 345-8110 today.

Hold the Negligent Parties Responsible for Your Losses

The attorneys at McCune Law Group, have been protecting the interests of consumers and small business owners alike in Southern California for more than 20 years. We understand that large corporations often pay little mind to how their actions affect small business owners. Even when they are called to justify their actions in court, they feel they can outsmart smaller companies because they have more money to throw at more lawyers. Our team believes large companies should never shirk their responsibilities to the public or partnered smaller businesses. With more than $1 billion recovered for our clients, we can help you reclaim what you’re owed.

If you are a small business or property owner, fisher, performer, event planner, or other employee who lost out on revenue or wages because of the oil spill, contact us today by completing the form or calling (909) 345-8110.

Attorney Handling this Case

Portrait of David C. Wright, Partner of McCune Law Group
David C. Wright

David C. Wright specializes in Environmental Law, Product Liability, Personal Injury, and Wrongful Death case matters.  Prior to 2001, he was a federal prosecutor in the Major Crimes Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Since 2001, Mr. Wright has used his litigation and trial skills to hold vehicle manufacturers, product manufacturers, and fraudulent businesses responsible for their actions.

Since leaving the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2001, he has applied his experience as a prosecutor to successfully litigate numerous defective product cases against some of the nation’s largest corporations. Prior to working at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Wright clerked for the Honorable Stephen S. Trott, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

His training, experience, and trial skills in this specialized field enable him to identify, understand, and present to a jury the difficult and complicated issues of how an accident and injury occurred and how the tragic results could have been avoided by the use of a safer design.

At McCune Law Group, Mr. Wright is the leading Inland Empire attorney that focuses his practice on the representation of clients who have suffered catastrophic injury or the death of a loved one because of a dangerous product.

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Are you an entrepreneur or worker who lost revenue or wages due to the oil spill?