On Monday, the United States Supreme Court declined BP’s request to suspend claim payments during BP’s Supreme Court appeal regarding the current settlement. For now, the Supreme Court’s decision upholds the ruling by the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans that under terms of the settlement, businesses claiming damages from the spill do not need to prove direct harm.
BP is currently asking the Supreme Court to review the ruling. The oil company wanted payments to businesses put on hold while it pursues the appeal, however, the Supreme Court declined and did not offer comment.
The Times Picayune recently interviewed Loyola University law professor Blaine LeCesne about the decision. LeCesne stated that the Supreme Court’s declination is a strong indication that it will either refuse to hear BP’s appeal, or if it does hear the appeal, BP will not prevail.
According to Reuters, Geoff Morrell, BP’s Spokesman, said the company still plans to seek Supreme Court review of the appeals court ruling on the overall case. Morrell explained that BP is concerned that there is still an alarming number of “claimants whose losses were not plausibly caused by the Deepwater Horizon accident.”
According to the Times Picayune, LeCesne believes if BP continues to pursue the appeal, it “could see all of the business claims processed and paid out by the time the Supreme Court takes up the case,” that is, if they take up the case at all.
The New Orleans offshore injury lawyers at Lambert Zainey help workers hurt in maritime accidents and businesses and individuals who suffer as the result of maritime disasters.