HOUMA, La. – The administrator of the $20 billion Gulf oil spill victims’ fund isn’t yielding to pressure to change a release form that requires those accepting a final compensation payment to give up their right to sue.
Washington attorney Ken Feinberg told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the form stands. He spoke to AP after a town hall meeting in Louisiana with spill victims. Lead plaintiffs lawyers for people and businesses suing over the Gulf disaster want a federal judge to intervene on the issue.
The lawyers say people should only have to give up the right to sue oil company BP for compensatory damages if they accept a final fund payment. But the attorneys say those people should still be allowed to sue BP for punitive damages and other parties deemed responsible.