Kyle Barnett News
BP to return to appeals court following Barbier ruling upholding settlement parameters
NEW ORLEANS – Only days after U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier upheld a controversial settlement process concerning business damage claims from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, BP has again filed an appeal with the same court that ordered Barbier to revisit the claims process.
No proof of causation needed for Oil Spill claimants, Barbier rules
NEW ORLEANS – Claimants do not need to show a direct link between the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and loss of income to be eligible for a business economic loss claim, a federal judge has ruled, after months of contention between BP and the plaintiffs’ steering committee.
BP asks appeals court to decertify Deepwater Horizon class action
NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) – BP argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit for the second time this year asking that a settlement agreement reached with the plaintiffs’ steering committee last year not be upheld unless procedures involving certain payments to businesses are altered.
Judicial watchdog group lobs ‘activism’ charge against Louisiana Third District Court of Appeals
BATON ROUGE –The Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch group has released a report alleging “judicial activist” decisions coming out of the judiciary at the Louisiana Third District Court of Appeals in Lake Charles.
Attorney requests recusal of investigator who implicated him in alleged BP claims scam
NEW ORLEANS – A local attorney who was implicated in an attempt to hide a referral fee provided to a BP claims attorney while a $7.9 million claim was being handled has asked the investigator who returned to be recused.
Claims administrator ordered to halt BP oil spill claims payments
NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) — U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier has ordered claims administrator Patrick Juneau to immediately stop business-related loss payments connected to the 2010 BP oil spill.
Appeals court rules for BP – allows claims process to be revisited
NEW ORLEANS – Despite U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier saying BP had no right to revisit a settlement reached with the plaintiffs’ steering committee last year over the 2010 BP oil spill, an appeals court has ruled that Barbier’s court must do just that.
BP claims investigation finds attorney took $40K kickback in exchange for expediting nearly $8 million claim
NEW ORLEANS – The results of a two-month long investigation into allegations of fraud within the 2010 oil spill settlement program has revealed an alleged kickback scheme enacted by a claims attorney.
Dow Chemical and two others lose trial, must pay $5.95 million to man with mesothelioma
NEW ROADS, La. – An Iberville Parish, La., jury has awarded a Louisiana man $5.95 million following a trial in which Dow Chemical Co. and two other companies were found to be responsible for his mesothelioma diagnosis.
Phase two of BP trial to be shorter than phase one
NEW ORLEANS – Phase two of the BP oil spill trial has been set to begin Sept. 30 and will last through much of October.
BP claims administrator given two weeks to respond to latest fraud allegations
NEW ORLEANS – Only one week after BP filed a request to temporarily stop payments for claims under a settlement agreement stemming from the 2010 Gulf oil spill until allegations of fraud were investigated, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier has provided Claims Administrator Patrick Juneau’s Office a two-week deadline to respond to fraud claims within the office.
BP’s attempt to withhold third quarter funding from claims administrator shot down
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier has refused a request by BP to have the $130 million third quarter budget of oil spill claims administrator Patrick Juneau’s office thrown out.
BP claims new findings of 'systemic fraud' in settlement program, asks for temporary stoppage for third time
NEW ORLEANS – On Monday BP filed documents stating they have proof of “systemic fraud” within the settlement program that provides payments to those harmed by the 2010 oil spill.
BP’s request to put emergency stop on claim process during fraud investigation denied
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Federal Judge Carl Barbier has ruled against a temporary stop to claims payments stemming from the 2010 Gulf oil spill while an investigation is underway into potential wrongdoing in the office of Claims Administrator Patrick Juneau.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys respond to NY Times columnist’s biting critique of BP claim process
NEW ORLEANS – Two attorneys on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee have responded to New York Times’ columnist Joe Nocera’s op-ed published on July 8, alleging that the claims process awarding damages to those affected by the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill is not just flawed, but likely evidence of corruption within Louisiana’s legal profession.
Barbier grants motion for hearing on temporary suspension of BP claims program
GRETNA – U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier has granted a hearing to be held 8:30 a.m. Friday, July 19, concerning BP’s request for a temporary injunction to stop the claims process paying damages to those affected by the 2010 BP oil spill, while a court appointed investigator court determines if two top legal counsel in the claims administrators office intervened in claims in which they had a personal
BP sets up fraud hotline only a week after arguing claims process in appeals court
NEW ORLEANS – BP has announced the creation of a fraud hotline that will allow anonymous callers to turn in those pursuing false claims due to the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill.
Florida town located 80 miles inland files claim against BP
NEW ORLEANS – The town of White Springs, Fla., was a late comer in filing a lawsuit against British Petroleum claiming economic damages due to the 2010 Gulf oil spill.
New York Times columnist disparages BP claims administrator
NoceraNEW ORLEANS – New York Times columnist Joe Nocera published a biting op-ed yesterday on the BP claims settlement process for businesses who were affected by the 2010 oil spill as run by Patrick Juneau.
BP faces off against class action plaintiffs in appeal over claims process
NEW ORLEANS – A federal appeals court today heard arguments involving the administration of claims processing to individuals and businesses negatively affected by the 2010 BP Oil spill.