I recently came across a case that folks here in Mississippi will find interesting. Here is a quick summary. Two oil spill cleanup workers filed claims under the BP Deepwater Horizon settlement. Due to an error made by the courthouse, they did not receive any notice that there were minor deficiencies in the manner in which their cases were filed. As a result, the courthouse rejected their filings but did not provide their attorneys with notice of that rejection, causing them to miss an important filing deadline. BP moved to have their cases dismissed because they were not filed in time. The court rejected BP’s argument and allowed the cases to proceed. I have provided a link to the case, FABIO CONCEPCION, v. BP EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION, INC., ET AL., below.
Were you affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill? Did you participate in the cleanup effort or come into contact with dispersants? Did you rent out your boat to those participating in the cleanup effort? Any of those activities may entitle you to a portion of settlement funds. If you think you are entitled to some of the BP Deepwater Horizon settlement, having experienced counsel help you attain your fair share is critical. Barrett Law has expertise in Gulf oil spill litigation and has the experience to help you through this process. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
Lesson: BP Will Punish You for Mistakes, Even Minor Ones
Fabio Concepcion and Mickey Joseph Thiboudaux were named plaintiffs in a BP Oil Spill class action suit. Both had worked on the cleanup. They agreed to the terms outlined in the 2013 Settlement, which allows class members to later bring a lawsuit against BP if new injuries or illnesses came to light. But before a class member such as Concepcion or Thibodaux could exercise his rights, he would have to submit a legal notice of his intent to exercise his rights in a Notice of Intent.
According to the Settlement, class members had to give BP 10 days’ notice in their Notice of Intent before filing suit. Once the Notice of Intent was filed, BP would have 30 days to decide whether or not to pursue mediation. If BP chose not to mediate, class members would have up to six months to file a lawsuit.
Concepcion and Thiboudaux seemed to do everything right. They filed complaints and received notice of BP’s decision not to mediate on May 9, 2017. This provided the men with six months to decide whether to sue, which they opted to do. Both men filed with the court within the deadline; however, the court clerk indicated that the men’s complaints needed to be refiled as individual lawsuits instead of one claim and rejected them.
The problem was that Concepcion’s and Thiboudaux’s counsel never received this information regarding rejection from the court. As a result, both men missed the six-month deadline. BP denied coverage, and the men appealed BP’s denial. The good news is that the court reviewed the cases and determined the men’s cases could proceed, even though the men missed the six-month deadline by three days.
What Should You Do If You Were Injured or Harmed By the 2010 BP Oil Spill?
If you were harmed as a result of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill or its cleanup, you might be due compensation for your losses. You may have heard that it is too late to file a claim or that there is no longer a way to attain compensation for your damages. The only way to understand your options is to hire an attorney with extensive experience in getting BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill claims paid.
Call Barrett Law now, an experienced Mississippi BP Oil Spill law firm, to represent you if you were harmed as a result of the spill. Barrett Law has the experience to take on oil spill defense attorneys that are focused on denying your compensation for the harm you experienced. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
