[StBernard] Murphy Opens Oil Spill Offices

[Westley Annis]

Westley,

Concerning those homeowners whose properties were impacted by the Murphy Oil
spill.  I've had a few homeowners who are definitely in the "spill zone"
contact me to perform an appraisal to determine the market value of their
home/property prior to Hurricane Katrina.  Each homeowner told me it was
legal advise they received to get an appraisal.

This makes sense because the true market value of one's home/property will
end up being an important factor in any settlement negotiations or
litigation with Murphy Oil.  There could be cases where a homeowner might
want to rebuild but the contamination from the oil might make that difficult
or near impossible depending on the amount of contamination and what the DEQ
and/or EPA has to eventually say on the issue.

I am happy to assist any property owner with an appraisal of their property
prior to Katrina.  As one attorney told me (who hired me to appraise his
Chalmette home in the "spill zone") eventually the process will come down to
needing an appraisal of the property value prior to the chemical
contamination, and you want to have the appraiser working for your
interests, not the oil company's.

My appraisal fees are what they were prior to Katrina - no price gouging -
and I try to get a completed appraisal back into the homeowner's hands (or
their attorney's) as quickly as possible.

Also, don't forget if anyone did not have flood insurance or suffiecient
coverage, they could likely have a tax write off on their federal income
taxes.  Speak with a CPA or tax expert to learn more or go to www.irs.gov
and look at the IRS publicatin no. 547 to read up on it.  There are
addtional Katrina tax breaks recently passed by Congress mentioned on the
website.  I've been contacted by many homewoners to appraise their property
just for that reason alone since the IRS requires an appraisal (pre-Katrina
and post-Katrina value) on their destoryed property by a fully certified
appraiser.

If anyone has any other questions, please feel free to contact me day,
evening or weekend.

John Scurich
Louisiana Certified Residential Appraiser No. R1271
985-882-9421 (try first) or
504-722-6662


----- Original Message -----
From: "Westley Annis" <westley at da-parish.com>
To: <stbernard at da-parish.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2005 12:00 PM
Subject: [StBernard] Murphy Opens Oil Spill Offices



> Not all emails sent through this list reflect

> the opinion of da-parish.com or Westley Annis

> -----------------------------------------------------

> October 27, 2005 10:30 AM

> Murphy Oil hopes residents settle before suing

>

> HOUSTON (Dow Jones/AP) - Hoping to forestall a class-action lawsuit over a

> large oil spill from its Louisiana refinery, Murphy Oil is trying to

> persuade residents to settle with the company.

>

> The Arkansas-based oil company this week opened five adjustment offices to

> meet with those who say oil from the Meraux refinery contaminated their

> homes.

>

> Murphy, which announced the policy on its Web site and in newspaper ads,

> also released a map of the territory affected by the spill.

>

> The Murphy settlement effort - which has been sharply criticized by

> plaintiffs' attorneys - follows a 1.1 million-gallon crude spill

discovered

> after Hurricane Katrina.

>

> The Coast Guard has said Murphy is responsible for the spill, among the

> worst environmental problems to surface in Katrina's wake.

>

> Murphy Chief Executive Claiborne Deming, addressing investors on a

quarterly

> conference call yesterday, said his goal was to quickly and fairly deal

with

> the spill.

>

> Murphy's attorney, George Frilot, said the company should have the right

to

> approach residents.

>

> The case against the company alleges that Murphy didn't adequately prepare

> the refinery for the storm.

>

> A New Orleans federal court next week will hear a motion seeking to limit

> Murphy's ability to contact residents. Judge Eldon Fallon rejected a

> previous effort by plaintiffs to restrict Murphy, but said the court would



> ``police'' Murphy's communications.

>

>

>

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