In a compelling new court filing, a resident of Fairhope, Alabama has launched a significant legal battle against several major corporations, alleging severe health impacts from the infamous BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Brennan James Griffin filed the complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama on August 30, 2024, targeting BP Exploration & Production Inc., BP America Production Co., Transocean Holdings LLC, Transocean Deepwater Inc., Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling Inc., and Halliburton Energy Services Inc.
Griffin's lawsuit arises from injuries he claims to have suffered due to exposure to toxic substances following the catastrophic oil spill on April 20, 2010. The plaintiff asserts that he was exposed to harmful chemicals through various activities in affected areas such as Fairhope, Mobile Bay, Perdido Key, and Destin Beach. He details his exposure pathways including inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact while participating in recreational activities and consuming contaminated seafood from the Gulf of Mexico. Griffin alleges that these exposures led to severe health issues without any warning or provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) by the defendants.
The case recounts the events leading up to and following the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig operated by BP Exploration. The explosion resulted in an uncontrolled discharge of millions of gallons of crude oil into the Gulf over 87 days until it was finally capped on July 15, 2010. According to Griffin’s complaint, both BP Exploration and BP America were designated as "responsible parties" by the U.S. Coast Guard under the Oil Pollution Act (OPA). The plaintiff accuses these entities of gross negligence and willful misconduct in their handling of both pre- and post-spill operations.
The lawsuit also implicates Transocean Holdings and its affiliates for their role in manning and guiding the Deepwater Horizon Rig which exploded during drilling operations. Halliburton is named for its responsibility over cementing operations at the Macondo Well which failed catastrophically leading to massive oil leakage. Judge Barbier's findings from earlier litigation are referenced extensively; these findings apportioned fault among BP (67%), Transocean (30%), and Halliburton (3%) for their respective roles in causing one of history’s worst environmental disasters.
Griffin seeks compensatory damages exceeding $75,000 exclusive of interest and costs. His demands include relief for past and future medical expenses related to his exposure-induced ailments along with punitive damages aimed at penalizing what he describes as egregious corporate behavior. Furthermore, he calls for a jury trial to address his grievances comprehensively.
The case is presided over by Judge Carl J. Barbier with Case ID: 2:24-cv-02244-CJB-DPC.