BP expands Gulf victims list
Oil giant removes proximity clause for spill payouts
BP will compensate victims of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill even if they don't live on the coastline soiled by millions of litres of oil.
Lawyer Kenneth Feinberg, who is overseeing the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, has faced complaints from angry residents and business owners that payouts from the $20-billion US fund are coming too slowly and are not generous enough, while some claims that should be paid are being denied.
As of late September, payouts tallied almost $350 million US.
Feinberg says the process is fluid and he understands the concerns.
On Monday, he announced a more lenient program that would not rule out claims simply because claimants are not located on the coast.
The April 20 rig explosion killed 11 workers and spewed more than 750 million litres of oil from BP PLC's underwater well.