Appeals Court To Review Approval Of BP Settlement

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A year ago, lawyers for BP and Gulf Coast residents and businesses took turns urging a federal judge to approve their settlement for compensating victims of the company's massive 2010 oil spill.

On Monday, the one-time allies will be at odds. Several months after U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier approved the deal, BP started complaining that the judge and court-appointed claims administrator misinterpreted the settlement. BP is worried it could be forced to pay billions of dollars for bogus or inflated claims by businesses.

Plaintiffs' attorneys who brokered the deal disagree. They want the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the class-action settlement.

As of Friday, payments have been made to more than 38,000 people and businesses for an estimated $3.7 billion.