The Ultimate Losses

No one lost more than those 11 workers who died on April 20 in the massive explosion that engulfed the offshore oil rig in flames and sent it into the then-blue water of the Gulf. Their loss of life has been largely overlooked in the nonstop media coverage that has followed in the weeks since the catastrophe. The workers who suffered severe injuries in the explosion have likewise been ignored.

One day those survivors and those who were injured will have their day in court, however, and liability and compensation for their losses will be determined. Who will be held liable? BP has already to some extent admitted liability in the event by paying out minor sums to fishermen and other business owners and workers who have lost income because of the oil spill.

Two other companies may well share liability in the Deepwater incident: Transocean, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon rig (Transocean leased the rig to BP) and Halliburton, the company that was responsible for the cement casing that was supposed to cap the well.

Injuries Incurred Since the Explosion

As part of the efforts to prevent the enormous swaths of oil from the leak from hitting the Gulf coast, BP has hired shrimpers, commercial fishermen and others with boats to deploy booms and devices to soak up some of the oil.

Though the efforts have had decidedly mixed results, there's no denying that some of the workers hired by BP have suffered a variety of symptoms due to their prolonged (and in some cases, unprotected) exposure to toxic fumes, oil particles and powerful chemical dispersants used to break up the oil.

A CBS News report aired nationally showed Gulf coast workers reporting a variety of respiratory and other ailments after exposure to the oil and dispersants.

The Los Angeles Times reported that seven workers were hospitalized "due to sudden illness." According to Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the illness was apparently caused by exposure to a cleaning substance.

Crude oil is a poisonous stew with ingredients including cancer-causing benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a toxin that can damage the central nervous system and brain.

The legal process is already beginning to sort out issues involving negligence and liability and compensation for lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Legal experts urge people who have suffered injuries, or have family members who are oil-spill victims, to carefully consider their legal options before entering into agreements with BP or others.

As the oil spreads outward from the BP well in the Gulf of Mexico, so does the economic hardship. It is now affecting everyone from fishermen and seafood processors to the owners of vacation rentals who cannot attract guests to oil-marred beaches. In response, BP has opened 25 claims offices across the gulf and sent $46 million in checks so far to some 17,500 Gulf Coast residents for their lost income.

But some boat owners, like Mr. Zito, complain that BP is not paying enough. Others say they have had a hard time getting their claims paid. BP said another 17,500 claims - about half of all submitted - had yet to be paid because of questions about documentation, which can be hard to come by in a cash industry like fishing.

Darryl Willis, a vice president of BP America who is in charge of the claims process, said the company would honor all legitimate claims. "We will make these payments for as long as it takes," he said in a conference call with reporters on Saturday.