Who determines who gets paid first for the BP oil spill?
Individuals and businesses can file claims to cover the loss of personal income, the loss of business profits, and damages to personal or business property related to the Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill. BP has said it will pay all legitimate claims related to the oil spill. But many people have been frustrated by the slowness of the claims process.
The initial claims focus has been on helping commercial fishermen, small businesses and others who are unable to work until the spill is cleaned up by providing payments, including emergency funds, to replace lost income. You might say those persons were paid first, but many are still waiting to be paid.
To get a claim processed, it’s important to provide all supporting documentation. The payment is based on the documentation you provide so it’s important to gather all of the required records. At Arnold & Itkin, LLP, we have lined up financial advisors who can help you pull together documents to obtain the full amount of your claim. That’s the single biggest stumbling block to getting payments.
They claims process set up by BP is transitioning to oversight by an independent claims administrator. The claims administrator has said the process needs to be expedited, Larger claims are being paid at a slower pace. Complex claims, including those for amounts of more than $5,000, and those involving complex economic predictions, take longer to process.
Many people have found that hiring an attorney experienced at handling oil spill claims can make the process go more smoothly and remove some of the aggravation.
The unprecedented harm of the BP spill will continue to affect property, business and the environment for years to come. The Oil Spill Task Force, sponsored by Arnold & Itkin LLP, coordinates the financial, legal and investigative resources needed to represent the claims of businesses and individuals whose livelihoods and property are threatened by the BP oil spill. Investigators assigned to the Oil Spill Task Force have been gathering evidence of environmental damage caused by the oil spill.
If you would like to discuss your complaint, then please call 888-498-8212 or use our convenient online form. We focus on representing your financial interests in claims against BP.
At Arnold & Itkin, we are experienced trial lawyers and aggressive advocates for our clients. Our attorneys quickly assess the strengths and weaknesses of each individual case and map out a strategy for winning. Our law firm secured over $100 million in verdicts or settlements for our clients in 2009. Once you meet the legal team at Arnold & Itkin LLP, you will understand why H Texas magazine in Houston named Arnold & Itkin LLP "Top Lawyers for the People" three years in a row and why Texas Monthly has consistently recognized our attorneys as “Rising Stars.”
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