Lawyers for BP have targeted Patrick Juneau, the Special Master appointed to administer claims as part of a settlement between BP and businesses along the Gulf Coast injured by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. The oil company sent a letter to FBI Director, Louis Freeh, requesting hundreds of documents, including any that may indicate that Mr. Juneau was aware of alleged wrongdoing. Claims Investigation
BP’s latest tactic to block claim payments in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement is to question the ethics of the Special Master.
The FBI is investigating alleged mishandling and fraud in the Deepwater Horizon claims office, and reports have indicated wrongdoing on the part of several employees who have either since resigned or were dismissed in the past six months. Despite the fact that the FBI has praised Mr. Juneau’s handling of claims, BP indicated in their letter “a strong tone on ethical issues from top management is lacking.” Changes to Processes Mr. Juneau was surprised at BP’s request, but would not comment on the reason behind the company demands. Many changes to processes were implemented since the FBI began reviewing operations, including increased screening of outside vendors and the addition of a fraud hotline. Many experts find BP’s actions unusual, although disagreements regarding the handling of settlements are commonplace. Many believe that BP wants Mr. Juneau replaced in order to cut the size and number of settlement requests that have ballooned settlement costs from $7.8 billion to $9.4 billion. Many feel the company is using Mr. Juneau as a scapegoat to avoid acknowledging they underestimated the cost of the oil spill settlement. When the negligence of a company is suspected as the cause or contributing factor in an incident that causes injury or loss of compensation, a liability claim may be in order. Contact Dallas-Fort Worth lawyers at Frenkel & Frenkel to schedule a free initial consultation regarding an incident where injuries may have been caused or worsened by someone else’s negligence.
