BP wasted no time preparing for oil spill lawsuits

Environmental

In the immediate aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, BP publicly touted its expert oil clean-up response, but it quietly girded for a legal fight that could soon embroil hundreds of attorneys, span five states and last more than a decade.

BP swiftly signed up experts who otherwise would work for plaintiffs. It shopped for top-notch legal teams. It presented volunteers, fishermen and potential workers with waivers, hoping they would sign away some of their right to sue.

Recently, BP announced it would create a $20 billion victim-assistance fund, which could reduce court challenges.

Robert J. McKee, an attorney with the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., firm of Krupnick Campbell Malone, was surprised by how quickly BP hired scientists and laboratories specializing in the collection and analysis of air, sea, marsh and beach samples - evidence that's crucial to proving damages in pollution cases.

Five days after the April 20 blowout, McKee said, he tried to hire a scientist who's assisted him in an ongoing 16-year environmental lawsuit in Ecuador involving Dupont.

Related listings

  • BP says it will pay for Gulf spill's cleanup

    BP says it will pay for Gulf spill's cleanup

    Environmental 05/03/2010

    BP PLC said Monday that it will pay for all the cleanup costs from a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that could continue spewing crude for at least another week.The company posted a fact sheet on its Web site saying it took responsibility for...

  • Dentist pleads guilty to dumping waste in NJ ocean

    Dentist pleads guilty to dumping waste in NJ ocean

    Environmental 03/15/2010

    A Pennsylvania dentist has pleaded guilty to dumping medical waste into the ocean, causing numerous beach closures in New Jersey.Thomas McFarland had unsuccessfully sought to enter a pretrial intervention program that would have spared him a criminal...

  • U.S. court reinstates emissions suit vs. utilities

    U.S. court reinstates emissions suit vs. utilities

    Environmental 09/22/2009

    A U.S. Appeals Court reinstated on Monday a 2004 lawsuit by eight states and the city of New York against five of the largest U.S. utilities over their carbon dioxide emissions.The lawsuit was dismissed in October 2005 by U.S. District Court Judge Lo...

New Rochelle, New York Personal Injury Lawyers

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact Kommer, Bave & Ollman, LLP, in New Rochelle, New York, immediately. We can answer all your questions and work with you to determine if you have the grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. The attorneys at our firm are determined to resolve even the most difficult of cases. We will work closely with you to determine the best course of action to get your claim or case resolved in the most efficient way possible. We will fight for your right to compensation! No one should have to suffer a financial burden from the result of another person’s carelessness. The attorneys at Kommer, Bave & Ollman, LLP will aggressively fight to ensure that justice is served on your behalf.

Business News

New York & New Jersey Family Law Matters We represent our clients in all types of proceedings that include termination of parental rights. >> read