By Michael Bartlett on February 10th, 2026 in Jones Act
On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig contracted by the oil and gas company BP exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico, causing the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history. The damaged Macondo well leaked oil for 87 days, releasing an estimated 3.19 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf across hundreds of miles of water and shoreline.
At the peak of response operations, around 47,000 individuals were involved, including workers from the rig operators BP and Transocean, experts from government agencies, scientists, and numerous coastal residents.
Removing spilled oil from the environment is difficult, because oil doesn't mix with water, it floats at the surface of the ocean and forms large slicks. In the case of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the following methods were used during the cleanup:
The extended cleanup work increased the risk of toxic exposure; workers were in close contact with crude oil, inhaled burning oil vapors, and smoke from flaring operations. Eleven workers were killed, and 17 were injured on the day of the explosion, but according to researchers, the incident’s death toll could be much higher.
Vessel-based workers participating in the cleanup and containment were exposed to a mix of harmful substances, as cleanup efforts involved massive use of dispersants, skimmers, and controlled burns.
Over time, cleanup workers began to develop diseases they claim are tied to exposure to toxins in the oil, diesel emissions, and chemicals used to break up oil slicks.
Diesel emissions and fumes from vessels and machinery were also heavily present in work areas, while protective equipment was often insufficient, leaving workers exposed to harmful conditions for long periods.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer and OSHA identify diesel exhaust as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) due to evidence that it increases lung cancer risk.
Benzene is a volatile organic compound found naturally in crude oil. Those working aboard vessels were exposed to spilled crude oil for several hours each day, often without any protective equipment, and faced prolonged exposure while performing cleanup operations. Vessel-based workers who handled fuel and maintained fuel systems during the oil spill cleanup were exposed to benzene via inhalation and skin contact.
Agencies like NIOSH and CDC classify benzene as a human carcinogen due to sufficient evidence that it causes blood cancers. Also, meta-analyses of occupational exposure studies show elevated lung cancer risks associated with cumulative benzene exposure.
Since the incident, numerous cleanup workers and coastal residents have experienced rashes, diarrhea, and chronic respiratory issues, known among local residents as "BP syndrome" or "Gulf coast syndrome," while other individuals have developed various types of cancer.
In court, the oil company has argued that without evidence, cleanup workers cannot prove their health issues were caused by the oil spill cleanup, despite studies published in the past few years linking the exposure to the spill with increased risk of:
However, more research is needed to fully understand the impact of toxic exposure during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill cleanup.
The National Institutes of Health began addressing these in a study following 33,000 cleanup workers and volunteers for a decade to assess whether exposure to crude oil and dispersants affects physical and mental health.
There are many chronic diseases developed as a consequence of exposure to crude oil and toxic chemicals that can be asymptomatic for years or decades after exposure ends.
The Jones Act recognizes that offshore workers are in no position to file claims before they are diagnosed with a disease or understand what caused it.
Under the Jones Act (the Merchant Marine Act of 1920), maritime workers who worked on vessels during the extended Deepwater Horizon oil spill cleanup and developed cancer can file a claim to obtain compensation for:
The Environmental Litigation Group has represented victims of harmful chemical exposure for over 35 years. Our lawyers can evaluate your claim and assess your eligibility for a Jones Act claim. This evaluation comes at no cost or obligation to you until we have successfully recovered compensation.