05/28/2013 // Concord, CA, USA // LifeCare123 // Greg Vigna, MD, JD // (press release)

In response to the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster of 2010, the unemployed and the underemployed citizens of the Gulf coast were mobilized to meet this economic and ecologic disaster. Most if not all of these workers were completely oblivious to the health related problems that were known to result from exposure of previous major oil spills. Chronic illness has been well documented in the literature involving skin, lung, sinuses, and eye. All of these diagnoses will likely be compensated by the BP to the amount of $60,700, not to mention reimbursement for prior medical, and additional compensation if the condition resulted in acute hospitalization.

Of the chronic health conditions that result from oil spill disasters, psychological disorders are the most commonly studied. Following the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 there was a 20% prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder and 9% prevalence in PTSD. There was a corresponding 3.6 times more likely development of generalized anxiety disorder and 2.9 times more likely development of PTSD than in the unexposed group. Clearly this data is consistent with a compensable harm that directly impacts both the structure of the family unit as well as the community at large. There is a clear increased incidence of anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social disruption among the high exposure group compared to the unexposed control group. Unfortunately, it does not appear that psychological disorders will be compensated by the BP settlement.

Despite this compelling data and empiric evidence of increased mental illness on the Gulf Cost BP Cleanup Workers and Gulf Coast residents should be compensated for this harm.

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