Deepwater Horizon oil rig accident (continued)

Offshore oil rig accident lawyers need to know that the BP and Transocean oil-spill lawsuits may be combined before a judge who is not from the Gulf Coast states. Half of the twelve active federal judges in the New Orleans judicial district have removed themselves from the cases filed by fishermen, businesses and property owners and coastal businesses The judges have various conflicts tied to oil investments or with the lawyers and/or companies involved in the litigation.

Some of the federal judges in southern Alabama have recused themselves from handling the spill-damage cases. Most of the more than 150 lawsuits over the spill are proposed class actions representing potentially thousands of claims against BP and Transocean.

Both sides want to have all federal-court suits over the oil spill to hold down costs and expenses and to have consistent judicial rulings. The plaintiffs want the litigation be combined in Louisiana, where the majority of the damage has occurred.

BP and the various other defendants in the oil spill litigation have asked the multidistrict panel (MDL) to place the case in Houston, which is the home of the defendants’ United States’ operations. The companies want the case to be assigned to Southern District of Texas Judge Lynn Hughes.

Meanwhile, a lawsuit was filed last Thursday in Florida seeking a class action against BP on behalf of all Florida Coast residents. It will be interesting to see how and where this litigation will proceed.

Call Texas oil rig accident lawyer Scott Nelson if you or a loved one has been damaged by this spill. Mr. Nelson serves Galveston, Corpus Christi and all of Texas.