BP Oil Spill Settlements

On Dec. 21, 2012, U.S. District Judge Barbier granted final approval of the Economic and Property Damages Class Action Settlement that was reached between BP and the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee (PSC) for the BP Deepwater Horizon litigation. On Jan. 11, 2013, Barbier granted final approval of the Medical Benefits Class Action Settlement.

These settlements cover economic losses, property damage and physical injuries suffered by eligible Gulf Coast businesses, workers and residents.

The Economic and Property Damages Settlement Program began operating on June 4, 2012, and qualified claims will be paid immediately as they are approved. A portion of the Medical Benefits Settlement, the Gulf Region Health Outreach program, has already begun.

Motley Rice attorneys, who had a central role in negotiating the Deepwater Horizon Settlements, are familiar with the settlements' requirements. We are helping people and businesses hurt by the spill file claims under the new court-supervised claims programs. Please contact Motley Rice lawyer John Baden or Kevin Dean by email or at 1.800.216.9170 if you would like to talk about your rights.

About the BP Oil Spill Settlements

Two separate class actions settled:

Economic and Property Damages Settlement- This settlement (given final approval on Dec. 21, 2012) compensates people and businesses that suffered economic loss and property damage resulting from the oil spill, including lost business profits, lost income, property sales loss and lost growth potential. Property owners and long-term lessees of waterfront properties in the affected coastal and wetlands region may be eligible to receive compensation for the loss of use and enjoyment of their property. This compensation was not available through the GCCF and recognizes that residents in the affected region were unable to fully enjoy their homes in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The settlement also establishes a separate Seafood Compensation Program.
Medical Benefits Settlement- This settlement (given final approval on Jan. 11, 2013) compensates people with specified acute or chronic illnesses generally associated with short-term exposure to the oil spill and/or dispersants used in the cleanup efforts. It also provides for a Periodic Medical Consultation Program, which will give qualifying victims regular medical consultations for the next 21 years; creates a Back-End Litigation Option for people with certain sicknesses that manifest in the future; and establishes a $105 million Gulf Region Health Outreach Program.

Separate claims programs have been established for each of the groups. The claims program covering economic and property damage losses, formally called the Deepwater Horizon Court-Supervised Settlement Program (Settlement Program), replaces the GCCF. A new and separate Medical Benefits claims program covers medical-related losses. The court is supervising the claims programs to ensure fair, impartial and consistent processing and payment.

If you and/or your business suffered as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, you may be eligible to participate in one settlement program or both.

Basic Terms of the Settlements

All outstanding GCCF claims and non-expired GCCF offers are protected under the Economic and Property Damages Settlement.
Claims with expired GCCF offers can be re-submitted to the new Settlement Program under the Economic and Property Damages Settlement.
All pending claim submissions, papers and forms were transferred to the new Settlement Program under the Economic and Property Damages Settlement.
To file with the new claims programs, you do not have to have previously litigated claims or filed claims with the GCCF.
The settlements have no financial caps (with the exception of the Seafood Compensation Program) and hold BP accountable.
A claimant can file multiple economic claims if additional claims are filed within six months of the first.
An eligible claimant may file both economic claims(s) and a medical claim.

Motley Rice and BP Oil Spill Settlement Litigation

The Deepwater Horizon disaster spilled approximately 4.9 million gallons of oil into the water, killed 11 oil rig workers, devastated our nation's natural resources and profoundly harmed the economic and emotional well-being of hundreds of thousands of people. Motley Rice has been representing people, families and businesses hurt by the BP oil spill since shortly after this disaster occurred. Our attorneys have helped those pursuing litigation and those needing help filing and negotiating their claims through the GCCF. We are now helping them file claims through the new claims programs established by the settlements.

Motley Rice co-founder Joe Rice has been active on the negotiating team of MDL 2179 (In re Oil Spill by the Oil Rig "Deepwater Horizon" in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010) since 2010 and is a member of the PSC. Motley Rice members John Baden and Fred Baker were also central to the settlement process. Member Kevin Dean began working with injured parties in April 2010 and served on the GCCF Jurisdiction & Court Oversight Workgroup. Our attorneys remain in a leadership role in the BP litigation and want to help make sure that qualifying oil spill victims are fairly and efficiently paid for their losses.

Contact an Oil Spill Lawyer

If you have been hurt economically, had property damage, or suffered a physical injury as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and would like to consult with a lawyer regarding your rights, please contact Motley Rice lawyer John Baden or Kevin Dean by email or call 1.800.216.9170 .