Patrick Juneau, the court appointed administrator of the class-action settlement between BP and class claimants in relation to the 2010 oil spill, appeared before the Florida Senate Agriculture Committee this week and testified that, so far, more than 34,000 Florida businesses and individuals have been approved to receive $332 million in claim payments, of which $245 million has already been paid.
Although he couldn’t estimate how many businesses might be eligible and how much more might be paid out in Florida, he thinks there are substantially more claims and urged the legislators to spread the word to Gulf Coast and Florida Keys businesses. “There are a lot more, a lot more eligible claims in your state, which have not been filed . . . I know that,” Juneau stated.
In addition to administrating the claims process, Juneau’s job is to educate businesses damaged by the spill about the settlement and to help them qualify for a reimbursement if they are in fact entitled for money under the terms of the Settlement Agreement.
There’s a reason why being educated about the BP Settlement Agreement is important: “It’s a settlement agreement on steroids because it’s big, it’s complex,” Juneau said. “It’s the most detailed, transparent settlement agreement that’s ever been negotiated that I’m aware of in the history of the United States.”
Mr. Juneau is a Louisiana Gulf Coast resident who has been instrumental in spreading the word about the claims process and encouraging businesses to file claims. He previously served as the Special Master on the Vioxx class action lawsuit. In the BP case, Mr. Juneau works for the Federal Court, not BP and not the claimants. In his owns words, his job is merely to implement the Settlement Agreement.
To listen to Mr. Juneau’s testimony click here:
Mr. Juneau’s statements begin approximately seven minutes in.
If you a Florida business in Key West, the Florida Keys, Captiva, Sanibel, Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island, Tampa Bay or any Gulf Coast area, we would be happy to talk with you to answer any questions you may have and explore whether you are eligible for BP settlement money.
