For me, a Social Security Disability attorney practicing in Florida, hurricanes take on a different level of significance. From a personal standpoint, like everyone else, I have to be ready to move on a dime. When a hurricane comes through, I’m forced to keep a full tank of gas, extra batteries, and a portable radio at my disposal. But from a professional standpoint, I have to be prepared to account for a major disruption in my business practices.
I didn’t truly appreciate these standpoints until 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit. For Florida, Hurricane Katrina didn’t cause a lot of damage. However, we all know how devastating the storm was to Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. What I didn’t expect was the long-term and far-reaching impact. Shortly after the storm passed, we saw a large migration of people from Louisiana to states like Texas, Arkansas, Georgia and Florida. I found myself representing quite a few Katrina survivors.
I didn’t think representing these survivors would be difficult. I had been practicing about 4 years at the time and I had pretty much seen it all. Orso I thought. As I prepared my clients’ cases, I made the customary request for copies of their medical records, which, of course is necessary to prove they were disabled. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get them.
I was experiencing a whole new level of difficulties. I can still remember some of the stories. One medical center floated away. Another medical facility was completely destroyed. One place had half the records for all of their patients but they had to do a thorough inventory to see what they did and did not have. And let’s not forget about the Social Security Administration. Some of the offices were completely destroyed so in some instances, they didn’t have the files for my clients. As a result, we literally were reconstructing files with little or no information of their claims. Social Security representatives from Texas were coming in to the area to assist with the process.
I was mind blown. It’s one thing to have to go through a difficult process with very little money, very few resources, and very little support. Imagine what it is like to go through that process and have no way to prove that you are disabled.
So, with hurricane season upon us and BP trying to clean up this mess, I truly wonder if people realize how crucial things can get along the Gulf Coast.
In the last 5 years, the Gulf Coast has been hammered! Hurricane Charley, 2004 – Category 4, total US damage $15 billion dollars in cost (2nd costliest hurricane in US History)
Hurricane Frances, 2004 – Category 2, damage $8.9 billion, over 90% of which occurred in Florida.
Hurricane Ivan, 2004 – Category 1, U.S. damage is estimated to be near $14.2 billion, the third largest total on record.
Hurricane Dennis, 2005 – Category 3, caused considerable damage across central and eastern Cuba as well as the western Florida Panhandle, including widespread utility and communications outages.
Hurricane Katrina, 2005 – Category 5, one of the most devastating hurricanes in the history of the United States. It produced catastrophic damage – estimated at $75 billion in the New Orleans area and along the Mississippi coast, and is the costliest U. S. hurricane on record.
Hurricane Rita, 2005 – Category 5, devastating storm surge, flooding and wind damage in southwestern Louisiana and extreme southeastern Texas, with some surge damage occurring in the Florida Keys. Rita was responsible for seven deaths, and it caused damage estimated at $10 billion in the United States.
Hurricane Ike, 2008 – Category 2, storm surge devastated the Bolivar Peninsula of Texas, and surge, winds, and flooding from heavy rains caused widespread damage in other portions of southeastern Texas, western Louisiana, and Arkansas. Twenty people were killed in these areas, with 34 others still missing. Property damage from Ike as a hurricane is estimated at $19.3 billion.
The Gulf Coast region is only recently recovering from the massive blows that were felt from Hurricane Katrina. And now we have the BP disaster. This disaster is not like a hurricane that blows through and is gone. We know about a hurricane several days in advance and once it hits, you assess the damage and get to work. This disaster does not result in flooding, which will eventually subside. We are talking about a hole in the earth that is releasing massive amounts of oil daily! With each day, significant amounts of damage are occurring. And we’re not talking about one day or even a week. We’re talking now about more than 60 days of continuous bombardment of our eco system. We are talking about more than 60 days of a devastating toll on the socio-economic infrastructure of potentially 4 states. Maybe more.
What’s even worse now is that we are at the beginning of urricane season and, if any storm develops, all activities must stop until the storm passes. Heaven help us if a storm actually develops in the region.
Right now, law firms are gearing up to handle law suits against BP. However, these suits could take years. I can still remember all of the unique tactics I had to use to prove people were disabled when all evidence of their disability had been completely wiped out. The people are the ones who will take this blow the hardest.
I know the US has spent a lot of time on the BP crisis but after watching countless times as the people along the Gulf Coast try to rebuild their lives after each disaster, you have to ask the question: How much more can the people along the Gulf of Mexico take??
