On February 2, 2015, the parties concluded the eight-day Penalty Phase trial in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill litigation before the Honorable Judge Carl Barbier in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The Penalty Phase will determine the amount of civil penalties under the Clean Water Act for which defendants will be held liable. Pursuant to the Court’s findings from Phase One of the trial in which the Court held that the oil spill was the result of BP’s gross negligence and willful misconduct, BP is subject to enhanced civil penalties under the Clean Water Act. During the Penalty Phase, experts for the plaintiff presented evidence in support of a maximum penalty, including evidence of the seriousness of economic and environmental impacts of the spill. A portion of the Clean Water Act civil penalties paid by defendants will be allocated to the State of Louisiana pursuant to the RESTORE Act.
Continue to check www.kanner-law.com for additional updates regarding the status of the Deepwater Horizon litigation.