Louisiana Insurance Litigation Blog

These FAQs provide general information regarding the Agreement-in-Principle reached on
March 2, 2012 between the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee and BP. It is important to keep in mind that:

The Parties to the Agreement-in-Principle are attempting to complete a final Settlement Agreement to be submitted to the Court by April 16, 2012. Details are still being completed by the Parties for inclusion in the final Settlement Agreement. If the Parties are able to timely complete the final Settlement Agreement and it receives preliminary approval from the Court, then a detailed, court-approved notice program will be initiated and detailed information about the final Settlement Agreement will be available for class members.

These FAQ s summarize aspects of the Agreement-in-Principle. They are not a complete discussion of that Agreement. The information in these FAQs may be subject to change based upon the terms of the final Settlement Agreement, if it is reached by the Parties.

This FAQ is preliminary, subject to change, and is not approved by the Court. THIS FAQ IS DRAFTED BY THE MDL 2179 PLAINTIFFS' STEERING COMMITTEE.

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On Friday, March 2, 2012, the Plaintiffs Steering Committee was able to negotiate a settlement of claims with BP prior to the much anticipated trial set to begin on March 5, 2012. Two separate settlements were negotiated, which will provide much needed relief to plaintiffs who suffered economic losses, as well those with medical claims. The settlements will be administered by the District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and seek to fairly compensate individuals affected by the April 20, 2010 disaster. The settlement does not have a cap, which means all claims will be assessed fairly for their own value, as opposed to getting a portion of a settlement pool. BP, as required by United Kingdom regulations, has estimated the cost of the settlement at $7.8 billion.

The settlements include claims that were not previously paid by the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, the organization set up by BP to administer the $20 billion claims fund set up in 2010. These include claims for loss of use and enjoyment of water front property and medical claims. One key aspect of the economic loss settlement is that it recognizes a “one size fits all” approach will not work, and has set forth provisions which seek to fairly compensate the victims of this disaster. The medical claims settlement not only compensates for injuries, but also sets forth a medical consultation program, which provides that the injured are seen by healthcare professionals for the next 21 years. The settlement will also fund an outreach program, which will promote physical, mental, and behavioral health in areas affected by the oil spill.

If you feel you were impacted by the BP Oil Spill and you wish to learn more about your legal rights and the settlement process, you should consider contacting an attorney. Thornhill Law Firm, A PLC has experience with large class action settlements, and for information on how we can help, please contact our office at (985) 641-5010 or by using the Contact Us form on our website.

Thornhill Law Firm filed the Evans class action, which has been established by federal Judge Africk as the lead action against TIN, Inc. d/b/a Temple Inland (“TIN”). All other cases with similar issues and damages are consolidated under the Evans class action in order to efficiently and most accurately work through the legal process. The court has appointed Tom Thornhill as Liaison Counsel and has appointed a Plaintiff’s Steering Committee (“PSC”) to serve with alongside to prosecute all claims against the TIN.

We have initiated expedited discovery in the case including Rule 26 Disclosures required by law where we obtain documents, evidence, and answers to vital questions relevant to this lawsuit. The expedited discovery includes an Order issued on December 12, 2011 by federal Magistrate Judge Alma Chasez to TIN to provide us with all test results issued and all samples taken by TIN. Our objective is to determine the effects of the release(s) and the content(s) of the release(s) through our experts. A preliminary expert report on the number of fish killed has been issued subject to revision after complete testing in the river.

We intend to file a Master Complaint on January 11, 2012, and a status conference was held December 28, 2011 with the Judge. If you are a class action member we will be contacted you in the next sixty (60) days for additional information to support your claim. Meanwhile, if you have any additional photos or updated documentation to support your claim, please be sure to get that information to our office at your earliest convenience.

In the meantime, we will continue to aggressively pursue the claim against the Defendant. We will contact you throughout this process with requests for necessary information. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office.

On Tuesday, August 9th 2011, the owners of the Bogalusa paper mill, Temple-Inland, admitted that it discharged chemicals causing the death of thousands of fish in Pearl River and resulting in a negative impact to the surrounding environment, businesses and individuals. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality released a statement Monday August 15th warning the public to avoid the black liquor substance, foam, and any dead or floating fish in the Pearl River. The lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation has also expressed serious concern about the toxic plume moving toward the Rigolets.

Thornhill Law Firm has extensive knowledge regarding this spill; and has currently filed in Washington Parish a class action suit for injunction and damages. If you have information or a claim contact us at (985)641-5010 or toll free 800-989-2707.

The Food and Drug Administration has recently banned two narcotics used for mild to moderate pain, Darvon and Darvocet, manufactured by Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals. These two drugs contain the compound propoxyphene, which studies link to serious and sometimes fatal heart rhythm problems.

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In 2007, 597 people were killed on Louisiana roadways and another 21,075 people were injured. Injury sustained in a motor vehicle accident can be expensive and time consuming to treat, not to mention requiring time off from work, resulting in lost wages and any future ramifications.

Continue reading "Motor Vehicle Accidents" »