From my friend Rick Kuykendall, whose home is in South Alabama:
Rick is a key founder of a litigation team of Gulf state lawyers that is one of the first to file for damages arising out of the growing oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. This suit seeks damages for fishing and other industries as well as property owners impacted by the spill and are the first of many actions to be filed by the group.
Kuykendall has extensive experience litigating environmental damage cases, and has extensive experience litigating against the oil industry. In 2009, he was co-lead counsel against Constellation Energy in an action that resulted in pollution abatement and damages to citizens whose water had been contaminated by chemicals. In major cases against Weyerhauser Paper, Shell, Exxon, Hoechst Celanese, Conoco and others, Kuykendall has demonstrated a no nonsense approach.
" We are witnessing the beginning of what may very well become the largest environmental disaster in the history of the United States. The source of the spill is still spewing upwards of 50 million gallons of oil a day into the spawning grounds of shrimp, snapper and oysters in areas of the Gulf waters. If the spill isn't contained, it will soon threaten critical gulf beaches and marshlands. The impact on individuals and small businesses still recovering from a series of hurricanes is incalculable. The oil industry, like the financial industry, asked the citizens that populate the Gulf coast to trust them with our most valuable resource and they breached that trust. They must be held accountable and I, along with the group of dedicated environmental lawyers, have the skills and resources to do just that. While we all pray for a good ending, the courthouse doors of the Gulf Coast must be opened to protect our citizens and ecosystems."Said Kuykendall.
Kuykendall’s commitment to environmental concerns is evident. He was appointed by the governor of Alabama to a select Commission on the Environment, is an Honorary Member of the Board of Directors of Mobile Bay Keepers and Co-Founder of the Pensacola River Keepers. Combining his concern for the environment with his legal expertise and resources Kuykendall has successfully brought polluters to justice.
Call him at 256-702-5005