Last month, BP filed a motion in a New Orleans federal court seeking the removal of the administrator in charge of determining the payout for economic oil spill claims. BP claims that Lafayette attorney Patrick Juneau, current administrator for the court-supervised settlement program, has a conflict of interest that should prevent him from serving in this capacity.
BP filed the motion to dismiss Juneau in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The motion asserts that Juneau advocated for clients involved in oil spill-related litigation in his capacity as an attorney prior to his appointment. He should have been required to obtain a written waiver for the conflict, but did not, according to BP. BP spokesman Geoff Morrell stated that Mr. Juneau’s failures were too numerous to allow him to continue to function as the administrator.
Oil spill plaintiff’s attorneys and attorney Patrick Juneau himself have contested the move to oust Juneau. The court heard rebuttals to BP’s September motion just days ago. Juneau and plaintiff’s lawyers urged that BP was aware of Juneau’s prior actions as an attorney, including consulting with Louisiana officials to push for a more favorable claims process. Mr. Juneau asserted that he had functioned as head of the BP oil spill claim payments for the past two years, and his record on the job proves he has been both competent and fair in handling claims.
Juneau and the plaintiff’s attorneys believe there is no conflict of interest and that the settlement is functioning properly. In fact, in his time spent overseeing the settlement program, Juneau has lowered monthly costs and issued over 274 policy interpretations, only three of which have been appealed in the court.
A court ordered investigation into the matter found Juneau had no conflict of interest. The investigation concluded that payments could continue to proceed fairly and efficiently with Juneau at the helm.
In other BP news, a Slidell, Louisiana man who was at the center of an investigation into fraud related to the BP oil spill settlement pled guilty on October 10 to two counts of wire fraud. The defendant admitted to submitting fake tax returns in conjunction with a shrimping claim he filed following the 2010 spill. The man received $357,000 in payments based on this falsified information. He now faces several years in prison.
It has been four years since the BP oil spill wrecked havoc on the Gulf and left many individuals and businesses suffering in its wake. While many claims have been paid out since this time, still others continue to await compensation for their losses. The BP oil spill settlement continues to wind its way through the court, and anyone who has not yet filed a claim or is struggling to obtain compensation for their claim should consult with an attorney as soon as possible.
Barrett Law PLLC: Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys Continuing to Fight For the Recovery of Oil Spill Victims
Four years after the massive and disastrous BP oil spill, BP continues to make the recovery of some oil spill victims difficult to achieve. The attempted removal of current claims administrator is another move that may result in more delays. If you or a loved one may have been impacted by the BP oil spill, the experienced and dedicated Mississippi BP Oil Spill Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC can help. It may not be too late to bring your claim and obtain a recovery for your losses. We will evaluate your losses and uncover whether you might be entitled to compensation from BP. Call us today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule your free consultation.
