By filing a petition to limit its legal liability to $27 million, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon risks incurring the wrath of the victims, says an industry legal expert.
“Their move (to file the petition) will anger…a lot of Transocean employees and may make a lot of them who were on the fence now hire a lawyer,” said Houston Board Certified attorney Vuk Vujasinovic.
Transocean filed the petition Thursday to turn the legal process into a prolonged battle for damages which may force claimants to re-file existing claims in federal court. Even though maritime attorneys predict the company will not prevail in their motion, the important aspect for Transocean is to wear down victims’ patience until they either give up the fight, settle for next to nothing or, worst of all, not fight at all.
Though dozens of lawsuits have already been filed in connection with the April 20 platform explosion that killed 11 workers, many victims and families have exhibited enormous patience in not rushing to make hasty judgments. But with this motion, the clock may have begun to tick for victims to decide whether or not to make their legal move.
“Their (Transocean’s) petition would shorten the statute of limitations for people to file claims to probably six months,” said Houston maritime attorney Brian Beckcom.
Beckcom applauds those people who demonstrated the courage to take their time in making perhaps the most important legal decision of their lives. Now the time may be at hand to select a firm with direct experience fighting for the rights of offshore victims against corporations such as Transocean.
Category: BP Oil Spill Injury Claims
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