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Recently, the Justice Department reached its final settlement with BP and the figure has risen to $20.8 billion. This large settlement, the biggest environmental settlement in the nation’s history and the largest civil settlement with any single entity, comes after years of litigation against BP for its liability in the 2010 oil spill that impacted the Gulf of Mexico.  The settlement is being considered a major step forward in the nation’s attempt to deliver justice to the gulf region that was so heavily impacted by the oil spill.  The 2010 oil spill remains the biggest environmental disaster to ever strike our country and its legacy is sadly lasting.

The settlement will now resolve the 2010 lawsuit filed by the Justice Department against BP. It includes a civil claim under the Clean Water Act which will equate to $5.5 billion as well as natural resource damage claims under the Oil Pollution Act in the amount of $7.1 billion.  It additionally includes economic damages claims to go to the Gulf states that were impacted most severely by the spill—Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Texas.

Previously, the settlement was predicted to be $18.7 billion. However, in fine tuning the figures, the monetary amount went up to cover all necessary costs.  Billions of dollars will go towards ongoing restoration efforts in the area where wildlife and plants continue to display signs of damage due to the mass amounts of oil spilled in the region.

In other BP news, the state of Alabama reached a settlement with Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling, which owned the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that exploded in 2010. The funds will go to the state’s General fund.  At least one politician has criticized the allocation of these funds, claiming that they should instead go to those communities along the coast that were most affected by the spill.

A Natural Disaster that Continues to Affect Many

The 2010 BP oil spill caused more than three million barrels of oil to leak into the Gulf of Mexico. Eleven employees were killed instantly in a catastrophic explosion, and thousands of individuals and businesses saw their livelihoods become deeply impacted by the spill.  Fishermen, restaurant owners, tourist dependent businesses, real estate developers and brokers, and many more found their business depleted due to the spill.  While many of those affected by the spill were able to file claims against BP and receive some sort of compensation, they often did not receive coverage for the full extent of their losses.  Even further, some are still awaiting funds from BP for their oil spill losses.

If you need assistance with any issue related to the BP oil spill, do not delay. Contact a BP oil spill attorney today for an in-depth analysis of your legal rights.

Barrett Law, PLLC: Helping Those Impacted by the BP Oil Spill

It has been five years since the BP oil spill devastated the Gulf Coast area. After all this time, many individuals and businesses are still struggling to obtain the compensation they deserve.  Many remain impacted by this monumental disaster.  If you need assistance with your BP oil spill claim, contact the Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys at Barrett Law, PLLC.  Our outstanding Mississippi law firm has been there from the start to help those impacted by the oil spill and we will remain until the conclusion.  Your time to receive compensation is limited, so contact Barrett Law, PLLC as soon as possible to discuss your potential oil spill issue.  Call Barrett Law, PLLC today at 1 (800) 707-9577 to schedule your free initial consultation.

While much of the damage associated with the massive 2010 BP oil spill occurred along the Gulf Coast, the economic damage that was caused by the spill affected inland communities as well.  In fact, some of the municipalities that have received settlements from the spill are over a hundred miles from the coast. The proportion of funds that were received by these communities is small compared to the overall settlement amount. It is estimated that thirty two inland communities received a total of approximately eight million dollars as part of the settlement.

The economic impact of the oil spill was felt by communities both large and small.  The damages reported by inland communities was largely associated with tourism. Big cities like Birmingham and Jackson were affected, as well as smaller communities like Ruleville, Mississippi. Tourism was affected by a decline in people visiting the area. Sales tax and revenue from restaurants were also affected by the seafood shortage caused by the oil spill.

While some communities, both on the coast and inland, have participated in the settlement, others rejected settlement offers and are continuing to pursue their individual claims. Other municipalities had resolved their claims in advance of the settlement. The settlement offers that were extended as part of the settlement program were calculated by a panel of individuals who had been appointed by the federal judge who has handled the majority of oil spill litigation cases.

The communities which have received settlement money are directing those funds to public schools, because the overall economic losses associated with the spill led to decreases in school funding. Law enforcement agencies are also slated to receive some of the funds, because the economic decline in the years following the spill had reduced their funding as well. Hospitals and airports which have been postponing badly needed improvement projects will also receive some of the settlement money so that some of those projects can get underway.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Representing Those Whose Were Affected by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

The Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are dedicated to helping people with BP oil spill claims. We understand that the resources associated with settling these claims can help affected individuals and businesses move forward from the economic losses that they have experienced. The effects of the spill are far-reaching, and we are constantly becoming aware of more and more things that are happening with the BP oil spill litigation. We understand that these developments may be of interest to you, so we like to share them with you. If you are involved in a case about oil spill damages, we are here to help you.  If you have any questions about the BP oil spill litigation, please call the Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today, at 1 (800) 707-9577, to schedule an initial consultation.

Not surprisingly, many BP oil spill claims were filed by gulf area business owners who suffered adverse economic impacts due to widespread environmental damage caused by the spill. In addition to businesses, there were other types of entities that were negatively affected by the BP oil spill, and some of them have recently reached settlements on their claims for damages.

Specifically, cities and counties were able to file claims for damages associated with the BP oil spill, and some of those claims are being settled.  However, the settled claims demonstrate that the total monetary amount for counties are less than the settlements for cities. This is to be expected, though, because cities collect sales tax revenue while counties do not, so it makes sense that losses of sales tax revenue are figured into the settlement amounts for cities.

Some of the BP oil spill settlements that have been reached so far include approximately two million dollars each for Jackson County and Harrison County, close to two million dollars each for the cities of Gautier and Pascagoula, over three hundred thousand dollars for Moss Point, and nearly nine hundred thousand dollars for Ocean Springs. School districts are another type of public entity that is eligible to receive BP oil spill settlement money, and so far, approximately three school districts have been paid a total of approximately two million dollars.

People who live in the communities that are receiving the settlements are relieved that money is flowing back into the area. There have been many financial losses due to the oil spill’s effects on the local environment, which negatively affected the area’s tourism and the seafood industry. Local governments have been operating on very tight budgets since the spill, and the settlements are expected to provide some relief. Local government leaders plan to use the BP oil spill settlement funds carefully, perhaps to replace resources and revenue that had previously been diverted to solving problems that were associated with the oil spill, and to pursue other goals and projects that will benefit area residents and businesses.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Representing People Whose Lives Have Been Touched by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

The Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are devoted to helping our clients resolve their BP oil spill claims so that they can begin to move forward again. We are continuing to stay abreast of all of the latest happenings with the BP oil spill litigation so that we can share them with you as they happen. If you are involved in a case about damages that were caused by the spill, we are here to help you in any way that we can.  If you have questions about the BP oil spill litigation, please call the attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (800) 707-9577 to schedule an initial consultation.

The BP oil spill settlement program has made the transition from helping Gulf Coast residents file claims for damages related to the spill to processing the claims that have been filed. As part of that transition, all remaining claimant help centers in Mississippi and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast have closed. The program is now directing all of its resources towards getting the claims resolved in a timely fashion. That is a good thing, because many new claims were filed recently in anticipation of the filing deadline.

Claimants who wanted to participate in the settlement were supposed to file their claims before midnight on June 8, 2015. Claimant help centers were a valuable resource for those who needed help filing claims, and many claims were filed with the assistance of help center staff. Between the time that claims began to be filed as part of the 2012 settlement and mid-April of this year, approximately three hundred and twenty thousand claims have been filed, and five billion dollars’ worth of compensation has already been paid out. As the June eighth filing deadline approached, thousands more claims were filed, with some claimants waiting until the evening of the very last day to file their paperwork. BP officials estimate that by the time all of the claims have been processed, the company will have paid out over ten billion dollars to resolve the claims associated with the spill.

Overall, the claims that have been submitted allege that a wide variety of damages have been caused to both individuals and businesses by the BP oil spill. For example, recreational fishing boat operators experienced a sharp drop in business after the spill, and while business is beginning to pick back up again, it is still not where it had been before the spill. Many business owners who filed claims are concerned that they may not be able to recover, or that they won’t recover much because they were unable to estimate with a great deal of certainty just how much business each of them had lost. Business owners aren’t the only people who filed claims for economic damages related to the oil spill. Some individuals filed claims that were based on being unable to catch fish to eat, stating that fish and shellfish from local waters had been a major part of their food supply prior to the oil spill.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Helping Those Who Have Been Affected by the BP Oil Spill

The Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC have been following all of the latest developments related to BP oil spill litigation as they happen. We are dedicated to helping our Gulf Coast clients resolve their BP oil spill claims. If you have filed a claim that is related to the BP oil spill, we are here to help you.  Call the knowledgeable and experienced BP oil spill attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today, at 1 (800) 707-9577, to schedule your free, initial consultation.

A recent decision that was issued by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans is of particular importance to businesses that have filed claims for business losses related to the BP Oil Spill. The Appeals Court decision requires a lower court judge to reconsider the rule that currently prevents BP from appealing calculations of business losses. In light of a change in the way that business losses are calculated, a topic that has been hotly contested ever since the BP Oil Spill settlement was issued in 2012, some previously-made determinations of business losses may be appealed by BP so that the numbers can be calculated under the new methodology.

The Appeals Court decision covers three BP Oil Spill issues in total. It upholds the lower court’s ruling that BP may not appeal any payments that are to be made to nonprofit groups, so BP is still barred from appealing those cases. It also upheld the lower court’s ruling with respect to appeals that are based upon BP’s assertion that a loss was caused by something other than the oil spill. Those “alternative causation” appeals are still barred, which is a big win for businesses.  This is because their ability to recover damages from BP could suffer if BP were to be allowed to appeal decisions that have already been made based upon a theory that something other than the oil spill caused the business to suffer its economic loss.

In addition to the Appeals Court decision, there is another issue that those with claims against BP will want to watch closely. A Texas lawyer who represents clients that have claims against BP has asked the court to delay its pending decision regarding BP’s Clean Water Act penalties. The attorney fears that if a decision is made and the penalty is sizeable, (as it is likely to be due to the fact that over three million barrels of oil were spilled), that could negatively affect the resolution of cases that are still pending against BP. Delaying the decision on the Clean Water Act penalty until the individual claims process is complete would prevent the resolution of claims from being affected by that penalty.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Helping Mississippi Businesses Affected by the BP Oil Spill

Many individuals and businesses are still involved in pursuing claims related to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are closely following developments related to BP oil spill litigation. Our knowledge of the historical and current state of affairs regarding BP oil spill litigation enables us to help our clients with BP Oil Spill claims to obtain the best possible results in their BP Oil Spill cases. If you were adversely affected by the BP Oil Spill, we are here to help you.  Call the dedicated and experienced oil spill attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (800) 707-9577 to schedule your free, initial consultation.

The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico occurred on April 20, 2010. News stories about the obvious damage that was caused by the millions of gallons of oil that had spilled into the Gulf of Mexico made local, national, and international headlines for months, often accompanied by devastating images of dying animals and beaches littered with tar balls.

As time passed after the BP oil spill, it became apparent that the damage that was caused by the spill extended far beyond the area where the spill occurred. Many different types of negative effects of the spill were being experienced by all kinds of people in areas that were up to a few hundred miles away from the site of the disaster.

For example, on the southwest coast of Florida, vacation bookings decreased dramatically. For some reason, people, especially international travelers, who had been considering visiting the southwest coast of Florida, thought that it had been affected by the BP oil spill; even though no oil had actually washed up on any of its beaches. The sharp drop in tourism in the southwest Florida region caused financial difficulty for those employed by industries that depend heavily upon local tourism for their economic well-being. The good news is that tourists are slowly returning to the southwest Florida area, and businesses are recovering in step with their return. However, many business owners feel as though they should receive at least some compensation for the hardships that they have endured over the past five years.

One potential avenue for obtaining the compensation that those business owners seek is a class-action lawsuit settlement. Business owners in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and selected parts of Texas and Florida who are interested in pursuing compensation through that lawsuit settlement must act quickly, as the deadline for application for participation in that settlement is June 8, 2015.

Barrett Law PLLC:  BP Oil Spill Attorneys Helping Mississippi Businesses Affected by the Spill

The BP oil spill caused many different types of damage throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the surrounding areas. Business losses related are just one of the types of losses that are being compensated. If your business has experienced a loss in connection with the BP oil spill, the Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC may be able to help you pursue the compensation that you deserve.  Our compassionate and dedicated attorneys know how hard you have worked to build your business, and how difficult it has been for you and your business to weather the difficult economic times that have hit the Gulf area hard in the years since the BP oil spill. We have assisted many oil spill victims with their claims for damages, and we are here to help you.  Call the knowledgeable and experienced oil spill attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (800) 707-9577, to schedule your free, initial consultation.

When the BP oil spill happened in April of 2010, residents of coastal communities like Gulfport, Mississippi were understandably curious about what was going on. After all, it was all over the news, and for at least a few days, the beaches remained open. Some people actually went in the water, but most people, including one mother from Gulfport, just walked along the beach. Eventually, the beaches were closed and people were prohibited from going on the beach or in the water.

The effects of the BP oil spill have been disastrous and far-reaching. Gulfport is an area that was heavily affected by the spill. It makes sense, then, to wonder whether the people who walked on Gulfport’s beaches or swim in the water there in the days after the spill have experienced any illnesses or injuries because of their exposure to oil and oil spill cleanup agents like Corexit.

Unfortunately, it seems as though at least some people in the Gulfport area who were exposed to oil and or oil spill cleanup materials have had health problems that are likely to have been caused by the spill. A mother from Gulfport, who had been in good health with no fertility problems prior to the oil spill, suffered from devastating fertility problems after she was exposed to oil and oily residue on the beach in the days following the spill. She was accustomed to taking walks down by the beach, and in the days following the oil spill, she noticed that there was a lot more oily stuff on the beach than there had ever been before. It was much different from the occasional tar balls that would normally be found along the beach, and she had to use gasoline to remove the oily material from her skin.

The woman, who had had a healthy pregnancy and gave birth to a healthy baby boy a few years before the spill, experienced thirteen miscarriages before she conceived again. She constantly felt ill. Her doctors could not determine what was causing her miscarriages. When she was finally able to conceive, her daughter was born with severe health problems including kidney failure and thyroid trouble, among other things.

When the woman pursued a claim for damages against BP, her claim was denied. Supposedly, she had not sufficiently demonstrated that there was a cause and effect relationship between the oil spill and the health problems that she and her daughter have suffered. She had taken pictures of the rashes that the oily residue had caused on her skin, and of how her skin looked burned after she removed it. Her daughter was born with a multitude of health problems. The woman has even had her blood tested, and there are high levels of VOCs in her body.

Barrett Law PLLC:  BP Oil Spill Attorneys Helping Spill Victims Throughout Mississippi

The BP oil spill caused a great deal of damage, and people have suffered many types of injuries and losses. If you have suffered an injury or loss because of the BP oil spill and you have not yet received compensation, the Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC can help.  Our knowledgeable attorneys have assisted many oil spill victims, and we are here to help you.  Call the compassionate and dedicated oil spill attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (800) 707-9577, to schedule your free, initial consultation.

Though it has been nearly five years since the BP oil spill flooded the Gulf with more than 200 gallons of crude oil, litigation continues in the case and alarming new discoveries are still being made as to the impact of the spill.  Recently, a federal judge in New Orleans rejected BP’s effort to cap its fines stemming from the 2010 spill.  BP sought to lower the fines by nearly a third of the massive penalty that federal prosecutors are seeking.  The court rejected this attempt, but has not made a final determination as to how much BP will pay for the disaster.

Judge Carl Barbier of the U.S. District Court in New Orleans ruled on Tuesday, February 19, that BP could pay a maximum penalty of up to $4,300 for each barrel of oil spilled into the Gulf.  The fines are to be applied under the Clean Water Act, the federal law governing water pollution.  This means that BP could face a maximum penalty of $13.7 billion in fines.

BP originally asked the court to cap the fines at $3,000 per barrel, which was the maximum set in 1990.  However, prosecutors countered that the Environmental Protection Agency and Coast Guard rules required adjustments for inflation.  The court accepted this argument and affirmed the cap amount.

It is anticipated that Judge Barbier, the federal court judge overseeing the case, will make a final ruling as to how much BP will pay in the coming months.  BP is considering all its legal options as it contests the court’s ruling.

In other oil spill news, a report published in PLOS ONE journal revealed some alarming facts about the potential impact on the spill on marine life in the Gulf.  The report found that during the period from February 2010, two months before the spill, to August 2014, an unusual number of dolphins died.  It is believed this unusual mortality event is still ongoing.  The study found that some 1,300 dolphins became stranded along Gulf Coast beaches during the time frame studied, which is the longest lasting period of mass dolphin death ever seen along the Gulf.  Of the stranded dolphins, over 94 percent died.

The study stopped short of declaring the die-offs definitely linked to the oil spill.  Although the high number of dolphin deaths seems consistent with dolphins exposed to mass quantities of oil, scientists cannot yet prove a concrete link.  BP responded to the findings by claiming that mass dolphin deaths are not all that uncommon and the deaths during the study period are in no way linked to the oil spill.  Scientists will continue to study the impact of the oil spill on marine life throughout the Gulf of Mexico.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys Assisting Spill Victims   

The BP oil spill inflicted serious financial and physical injuries upon thousands of those living and working in the Gulf Coast.  The spill sadly continues to have a devastating impact on the environment and its full effects may not be evident for years to come.  While the fine lodged against BP is a step towards achieving justice, many continue to suffer due to the spill.  If you were harmed by the BP oil spill and have yet to receive full compensation for your losses, the Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC can help.  Our skilled attorneys have assisted countless oil spill victims and can do the same for you.  Call our exceptional oil spill attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (800) 707-9577 to schedule your free consultation.

 

BP currently faces up to $13.7 billion in fines for violating the federal Clean Water Act.  This is the largest penalty ever sought by the government, far exceeding the previous record of $1 billion paid by Transocean Ltd. in 2013 through a settlement involving the same disastrous 2010 oil spill.

BP is fighting the fine and the trial resumes on January 20, 2015.  There are several factors the court will consider in determining the fine to be lobbed against BP, including:

  1. How serious was the spill?

The court will first consider the severity of the 2010 oil spill.  Analysis will include the amount of oil spilled, the environmental impact of the spill, and how long the spill lasted.  U.S. District Court Judge Carl Barbier previously ruled that BP spilled in excess of 3.19 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, by far the largest spill ever recorded.  Oil spilled for 87 days.  The government argues that the spill had a tremendous environmental impact, while BP insists it was far less.

  1. Who was to blame for the spill?

This factor was already the subject of the first phase of the civil trial which concluded in 2013.  Judge Barbier has ruled that BP shouldered most of the blame for the spill.  He found BP to be grossly negligent in its actions, which propelled the government to seek such a high fine in the final phase of the lawsuit.

  1. Did BP economically profit from its negligent actions?

The court has already determined that BP cut many corners, leading up to the spill. However, both sides agree BP did not benefit from the spill.

  1. Has BP already paid other fines stemming from the spill?

The court is required to consider BP’s previous and future oil spill penalties in setting the fine.  BP has agreed to pay $4.5 billion in criminal penalties for the spill and faces fines under the Natural Resource Damage Assessment.

  1. Does BP have prior violations?

The federal government will look to establish that BP has a history of prior violations and a pattern of safety issues.  Previous violations include a 2005 explosion in an oil refinery and a 2006 pipeline rupture spill.  BP argues the court should only look to the BP subsidy, BP XP, that owned the well that exploded, rather than the parent company.

  1. What actions did BP take to mitigate the spill?

The court will consider BP’s efforts to cap and plug the well and clean up efforts.  BP has spent over $14 billion in clean up and response measures, but the government contends that BP was required by law to conduct the clean up and monies spent on clean up simply reflect the severity of the spill.

Barrett Law PLLC:  BP Oil Spill Attorneys Assisting All Ongoing Victims of the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill

Oil company giant BP faces the largest ever water pollution fine as a result of the massive Gulf oil spill that continues to heavily impact the environment, as well as individuals and businesses in the region.  Time is running out to file your claim for compensation due to damages inflicted upon you by the BP oil spill.  The Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC continue to fight for the victims of the spill, seeking full compensation for everyone who suffered physical or economic losses as a result of BP’s negligence.  Call Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (800) 707-9577 to schedule your free consultation with one of our skilled BP oil spill attorneys.

 

The U.S. government is seeking between $16 and$18 billion in water pollution fines from BP Plc for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, which was the worst oil spill in U.S. history.  The federal government has stated that BP deserves the maximum fine allowed under federal law.  The fine would be the largest ever imposed under the Clean Water Act and BP claims it would be a gross outlier compared to fines imposed in other cases.

In September, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier ruled that BP was grossly negligent in drilling the well that led to the 2010 oil explosion.  The company has thus far set aside $3.51 billion in anticipation of penalties, which BP feels is an accurate estimated of its liability if it wins an appeal from the judge’s ruling.

Judge Barbier intends to conduct a non-jury trial in the coming month to set the exact pollution fines for BP, as well as its partner, Anadarko Petroleum Corp.  The fine will take into account a number of factors, including the size of the spill and the level of responsibility that both BP and Anadarko bear for the spill.  The government has already stated that Anadarko’s responsibility is minimal compared to that of BP.

The government, in its filing, has requested that a substantial penalty be imposed upon BP because the company provided little to no assistance after the spill.  Further, a smaller fine would not be sufficient punishment for a company worth billions of dollars.

BP countered back that it deserves a fine of far less than the government’s request because it is already incurred over $42 billion in liabilities from the spill, including several billon put towards stopping the oil spill and cleaning up the damage.  BP also claimed its fine should be low because the spill has had less environmental impact than initially anticipated.

For its part, BP has already stated that while the fine will be painful for the company, it will not cripple it.  The company brought in $23.5 billion in net income last year, making even the largest of fines seem bearable.

In other BP oil spill news, the deadline is approaching for people and businesses to file claims as a result of their losses due to the 2010 oil spill.  The deadline for most people and businesses is June 8, 2014.  This deadline does not apply to any seafood related businesses.  BP has made separate settlements for these business as well as medical claims.  As such, any individual or business who has yet to file a claim for economic losses must act fast.  Consult with an attorney now so that your claim can be timely prepared and filed.  Missing this deadline could result in foreclosure of your ability to ever receive compensation for your losses stemming from the spill.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys Seeking Recovery for All Victims of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Disaster

The final deadline to file your claim related to the 2010 BP oil spill is fast approaching.  If you or your business suffered losses from the oil spill and have not yet received compensation,   the Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC can help.  We continue to assist victims of the BP oil spill in obtaining full compensation for their losses associated with this manmade disaster.  At Barrett Law PLLC, our attorneys possess unmatched skill and dedication.  For more information on your potential claim, call Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (800) 707-9577 to schedule your free consultation.