[StBernard] Murphy Oil Spill Claim Deadline

[Westley Annis]

Murphy Oil Spill Claim Deadline 

Residents who live in the area of the Murphy Oil spill in Saint Bernard
Parish have until Jan. 31 to submit a claim for part of the proposed $330
million settlement. 

El Dorado-based Murphy and attorneys for plaintiffs in a class-action
lawsuit against the refinery over a spill after Hurricane Katrina announced
the proposed settlement in September. 

Plaintiffs attorneys say the class totals about 6,200 claims. 

Robert Becnel, one of the plaintiffs attorneys, says residents who opted out
of the lawsuit can rejoin it. That deadline is Dec. 8. 

Anyone who objects to the proposed settlement must submit their objection to
the court by Dec. 15. U.S. District Court Judge Eldon Fallon has scheduled a
hearing Jan. 4 to hear any objections. 

The lawsuit stems from the spill of 1 million gallons of oil from a storage
tank that was moved off its base by massive flooding during Hurricane
Katrina. 

In January, Fallon consolidated 27 lawsuits against the Arkansas-based
company into a class-action suit.