In a compelling legal battle that highlights the ongoing repercussions of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, a former cleanup worker has filed a lawsuit against BP Exploration & Production, Inc. and BP America Production Company. The complaint was lodged by Lauralee E. Trest in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on December 2, 2024. Trest accuses BP of negligence and misconduct related to her exposure to toxic substances during her work on the oil spill cleanup.
Lauralee E. Trest, who resides in Semmes, Alabama, worked as a cleanup worker from June 2010 to March 2011 in response to the catastrophic Deepwater Horizon oil spill. She is part of a class defined by the Medical Settlement Agreement (MSA) associated with this disaster. The lawsuit details how Trest was exposed to crude oil and chemical dispersants like Corexit while performing her duties without adequate protective gear or safety training provided by BP. The plaintiff claims that these exposures have led to her diagnosis of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia on April 6, 2020.
The lawsuit further elaborates on BP's alleged attempts to downplay the severity of the spill and their use of toxic dispersants despite warnings from environmental agencies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to Trest's complaint, BP continued using Corexit after being directed by the EPA to find less harmful alternatives. This decision is claimed to have exacerbated health risks for workers involved in cleanup operations.
Trest's legal action seeks compensatory damages for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, mental anguish, and other losses resulting from her illness linked to BP’s negligence during cleanup operations. The case emphasizes BP’s prior guilty plea for manslaughter and obstruction of Congress following investigations into their conduct surrounding the spill.
Representing Lauralee E. Trest are attorneys Sheeba Ajwani and C. David Durkee from The Downs Law Group, P.A., based in Coconut Grove, Florida. The case is presided over by Judge Barbier with Magistrate Judge Currault also involved under Case ID 2:24-cv-02785.