The Louisiana state health department says it has received 162 reports of illnesses to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The spill occurred after the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil platform on April 20, 2010.

 
Of the 162 reported cases of illness, 128 involve offshore workers involved in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill clean-up. Twenty-three of the workers worked on an oil rig.

 
Several of the workers who fell ill had been exposed to fumes from the dispersants being used to clean the oil in the Gulf. Commonly reported symptoms included throat irritation, shortness of breath, cough, eye irritation, nausea, and headache.  
 
Most of the victims were treated in an emergency room or urgent care center. At least 21 of those who reported illness were briefly hospitalized.

 
Offshore workers who become ill while on the job are protected under maritime law. Maintenance and cure benefits provide coverage for the injured worker’s medical costs as well as payment for living expenses if the sickened worker is unable to work.

 
To learn more about maintenance and cure and other rights of injured offshore workers, call The Young Firm and request our free book: Employee’s Guide to Maritime Injury Law.