An appeal over the $9.6billion damages bill BP faces from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico disaster has been brought forward to early November.
Thousands of individuals and companies along the Louisiana coast had appealed the settlement tearms, saying it violated legal requirement to treat victims with similar injuries the same.
The supermajor had asked the New Orleans appelate court to expedite its appeal, after failing to have the compensation protest suspended itself over claims payments were being made to ineligible companies.
Now the company will go to court on November 4 after US circuit judge E Grady Jolly agreed to accelerate the schedule for hearing arguments.
Last week BP claimed court orders approving the settlement and certification of the class action laws “cannot stand” unless the dispute over Juneau’s interpretation is resolved in the company’s favor.
Lawyers for victims supporting the settlement claim BP is having “buyer’s remorse” and is trying to renegotiate a deal that is proving more expensive than anticipated.
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