BP is seeking to have all lawsuits involving the Gulf oil spill moved to Houston before federal District Judge Lynn Hughes. This includes a class-action lawsuit filed by Birmingham attorney, M. Shane Lucado, on April 29, 2010.
BP filed similar motions in 70+ lawsuits against BP in relation to the Gulf oil spill.
According to today’s press release at PR Newswire, Lucado, a Birmingham attorney who filed several additional cases against BP and Transocean, was quoted as saying: “BP is seeking a forum in Houston because it has offices located there, and it may perceive Houston to be a more advantageous forum for oil companies.”
“Transocean, which is named in the lawsuits with BP, is rumored to be in the process of filing an action in Houston federal court under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), seeking to limit the recovery of those damaged by the oil spill to a total of $75,000,000 (seventy five million dollars).Under OPA, any damages BP and Transocean may have caused by the oil spill are limited to a total of $75,000,000 unless Congress acts to increase the limit.”
“I am opposing the transfer of these cases to Houston,” Lucado stated, “and will instead ask the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (federal judge panel responsible for consolidating these cases) to transfer the cases to a more neutral location. Obviously, $75,000,000 will not cover the damages caused by the oil spill.”
Lucado Law Firm practices predominantly in Atlanta and Birmingham, in complex litigation, commercial and business litigation and personal injury.
