Oil Rig Injury Attorney: BP has launched a new website designed to defend its response to the 2010 Deep Horizon oil spill. The oil spill left 11 people dead and spilled almost 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. In the new website, the company defends its actions after the horrific accident. In part, the website says “The Deepwater Horizon blowout and explosion was a tragic accident, and BP, alone, among all involved parties, stepped up from the beginning and acknowledged its role”.
BP does not admit negligence, stating that it was not “grossly negligent in its actions leading up to the spill”. In response to lawsuits that were subsequently filed after the accident, BP replies that gross negligence has not been proven.
Additionally, BP says that the estimate of spilled oil is too high. The estimate may be important when it comes to fines. Under the Clean Water Act, BP may be fined $1,100 for each spilled barrel. The fine jumps to $4,300 each barrel if BP were to be found grossly negligent.
When determining penalties using the Clean Water Act, the courts must determine the parties’ responsibility as well as how much oil was spilled. They court may also take other factors into consideration such as the company’s actions after the spill occurred. Certainly an oil rig injury attorney will work to prove the gross negligence.
In cases such as this one, the culpability is likely quite clear. The resolution will be based on whether the court feels the case for gross negligence has been proven. An experienced oil rig injury attorney gets involved in these types of cases. If involved in an accident of this type it is best to seek counsel from an oil rig injury attorney as soon as possible. The lawyer will review every aspect of the case to help resolve the case in a favorable manner.
