Deepwater Horizon Explosion

Deepwater Horizon was an ultra-deepwater, semi-submersible offshore oil rig owned by
Transocean and leased to BP.
When the Deepwater Horizon exploded off the coast of Louisiana, 11 people were killed and the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry occurred. Experts estimate that close to 5 million barrels of oil gushed from the seabed and into the Gulf, making it the worst oil spill in history.

This catastrophic event resulted in the filing of lawsuits by over 116,000 businesses and individuals whose livelihoods were adversely impacted. Families and individuals in the Gulf region of the United States filed lawsuits over the health hazards posed by the chemicals used to disperse and clean up the oil spill.
The five states on the Gulf (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Texas) also sued BP over the damage to their environment and economies.