Sep 09 2014
Federal Judge Finds BP “Grossly Negligent” In Deepwater Oil Spill
A federal judge has accused the giant oil company BP of recklessness in its role in the Deep Water Horizon Gulf Oil spill. The spill, which was the worst such disaster in the entire Gulf of Mexico’s history, happened 4 years ago, killing 11 workers and flooding the area with crude oil. BP has long contended that its contractors, Halliburton and Transocean share equal blame for the accident. But the judge in the case late last week issued a 153 page ruling in which he rejected that line of thinking, blaming BP for “conscious disregard of known risks.”
Legally speaking, this means BP was found “grossly negligent,” meaning it bears the brunt of financial responsibility which may translate to $18 billion in additional fines. BP had only set aside $3.5 billion for potential fines. The company has already spent $28 billion in cleanup costs and paying claims. A stock market response to the ruling sent BP’s shares plunging in value.
The company, shocked by the ruling, has vowed to challenge it to the Federal Appeals Court. Unusually, the UK government filed an Amicus Brief urging the US Supreme Court to review the ruling. The decision is being viewed as one of the most significant in the history of corporate malfeasance-related lawsuits. It was hailed by US Attorney General Eric Holder who said the Justice Department was “pleased.”
GUEST: Hugh Kaufman, A noted expert and whistleblower at the Environmental Protection Agency
4 Responses to “Federal Judge Finds BP “Grossly Negligent” In Deepwater Oil Spill”
Point of Clarification: The Amicus Brief was not written as a response to the recent ruling by Judge Barbier. It was written concerning the way money is being allocated in response to claims. BP asserts that individuals who were not directly affected by the oil spill are getting compensation.
Sally you point of Clarification Taken. BP’s assertion were the very Rules that BP Sent up with Feinburg. Feinburg was a BP Employee. I live in the Gulf and it is a train wreck. So don’t stick up for BP they were the ones who created the Rules to begin with. NOT ONE DIME HAS BEEN SPENT ON THE 100 to 200 thousand people that are being affected and are going to be effected in the Future.
We are STILL sick here! AND the few false claims are NOTHING compared to the legitimate claims that have been denied and those in litigation!
I will give Sally something to Chew on:
http://bellona.org/news/fossil-fuels/oil/2014-09-us-government-complicit-hiding-ongoing-damages-bp-spill-seafood-dangers-humans-concealed
There is more and more Studies out there on Health, Scientific Studies on the Ecosystem and a Plethora of Evidence to the Contrary.
BP MADE THEIR OWN RULES, HIJACKED OUR GULF and did not care about ONE HUMAN OR ANIMAL.