In a series of full-page advertisements in newspapers, BP plc has trumpeted alleged abuses by the Deepwater Horizon Court Supervised Settlement Program. Because this claims process is confidential, most examples appear without identifying details, which makes BP’s assertions difficult, if not impossible, to confirm.
One exception was an ad that started running in January. “Another law firm hits the jackpot,” it began, asserting that The Andry Law Firm in New Orleans was awarded more than $7 million even though losses at the plaintiffs firm weren’t related to the spill. On Jan. 31 the Andry firm asked U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier in New Orleans to hold BP in contempt for willfully violating the settlement agreement by releasing confidential claims information, and for falsely characterizing its claim. The filing accused the “BP attack machine” of trying to intimidate the courts and claimants.
