BP Still Fighting Claim Payments From Gulf Oil Spill

Nearly four years after BP's Macondo well blew out in the Gulf of Mexico, the oil giant is still fighting the payment of claims resulting from the spill.

BP agreed to a settlement in 2012, requiring the company to pay claimants in areas affected by the spill who could prove loss of income. The settlement doesn't require claimants to prove their losses resulted directly from the spill. The Advocate reports, BP's attorneys happily accepted the settlement in 2012, and now want it thrown out.

Tulane law professor Edward Sherman said, “I think they’re running out of options. They’ll go ahead and certainly play out whatever option they have within the 5th Circuit and probably seek (a review by) the Supreme Court, but it becomes less and less likely that they’re going to be able to overturn it.”

Last week, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans upheld a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Carl Barbier. He ruled last December that the terms of the settlement meant even unharmed plaintiffs could receive money. Barbier went on to say BP agreed to those terms to avoid having to litigate individual cases.