British Petroleum (BP) settled a wrongful death lawsuit by the widow of a worker killed in the 2010 oilrig explosion that resulted in the Gulf oil spill. BP hired the Deepwater Horizon rig to drill a well off the Louisiana coast, and 11 workers died in the explosion.
United States District Court Judge Carl Barbier of New Orleans agreed to dismiss the widow’s wrongful death lawsuit, which named BP’s partners and other oilfield contractors as defendants. Over 4 million barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico after the explosion. Business owners, fishermen and others affected by the oil spill have filed more than 350 lawsuits against BP.
The deadline to file a claim against BP and the oilrig’s owner, Transocean, is near. There is a February 2012 trial date to determine the damage amounts that Transocean can pay under maritime law.
Wrongful death lawsuits result from another parties’ reckless or negligent acts. A victorious wrongful death plaintiff can receive large settlements, jury awards or damages. While no amount of money can ease the loss of a loved one, a New Orleans accident lawyer can help you receive just compensation. Contact a New Orleans accident attorney for a free consultation about your wrongful death claim.