New Orleans, La. -
With billions of dollars in claims on the line, the class action civil trial in the BP oil disaster is now set to start in New Orleans on Monday.
Attorneys such as Stuart Smith, who represents hundreds of clients allegedly harmed by BP, will watch closely as all sides square off at federal court in New Orleans.
"BP is playing chicken in my opinion... they don't want this trial and all their dirty laundry aired out," said Smith.
Attorneys had hoped to settle the remaining civil claims in the BP oil disaster, out of court, but talks broke down Tuesday, setting the stage for Monday's trial. 225,000 claims have already been settled by BP, which has already paid out seven billion dollars under a process run by former BP fund administrator Ken Feinberg, but there are many other outstanding claims not part of the class action suit.
Earlier this week BP said it was ready for trial and ready to put up a tough defense, but BP attorney Rupert Bondi said the settlement demands so far were "not based on reality or the merits of the case."
BP has set aside billions of dollars to settle the remaining claims, but even after this trial next week, no money will immediately be paid out. The trial will determine percentages of liability between BP, Transocean, and Halliburton, which furnished the drilling mud for the doomed Deepwater Horizon rig. Many observers believe BP will still settle before a damaging trial.
Federal investigations blamed the 2010 spill on cost-cutting and time-saving decisions made by BP and its partners. Some 200 million gallons of oil spilled, much of it ending up on Louisiana's fragile coast and on the beaches of other Gulf states.
During a recent conference call connected to the release of company earnings, BP chief executive officer Bob Dudley declined to answer questions from analysts as to whether a settlement was possible ahead of the civil claims trial. Instead he simply said that the oil and gas giant was "in the chute to get ready for trial."
