The Oil Spill Claims Process 

The first step in submitting a claim is to submit it to the responsible party (RP). In these cases, BP would be the responsible party in your BP oil spill claim. Your Florida oil spill attorney will help you draft the claim and submit the claim to BP. This claim will announce to BP that you are preparing to file a claim against them under Section 2713(a) of the Oil Pollution Act. There are formal requirements of a claim which your Florida oil spill attorney can help you with. In some cases the National Pollution Funds Center (NPFC) may be informed first of your claim, but this is less common. 

After informing BP of your oil spill claim, you will need to file paperwork with the NPFC. This will include a write-up of your claim, supporting documentation, and any evidence to support your claim. Your Florida oil spill attorney will help you compile all of this information and build the initial case against BP. 

Information Included in an Oil Protection Act Claim 

Although there is no formal structure for an Oil Protection Act (OPA) claim, every claim must include a number of different pieces of information. Your Florida oil spill attorney will help ensure you have included all of the necessary information: 

• The person, vessel, or facility responsible for the spill should be identified; if they are only suspected of being responsible, they should still be identified, and information as to why they are suspected should be included.
• An overall description of the spill.
• The total amount being claimed.
• A list of damages resulting from the spill.
• The location and time of the spill, along with a description of how the area was affected by the spill.
• Any actions that were taken to mitigate damages resulting from the spill.
• Any costs associated with assessing the extent of the damages.
• All communications with the RP, along with any compensation already received. 

The Florida oil spill attorneys at Falk & Falk Law Firm know how important it is to you and your family to get the settlement you need in order to move on with your lives. Our oil spill attorneys have experience in helping victims of natural disasters—and other homeowner nightmares—recover from their loss. An experienced attorney can help you to fight for the compensation that you need and navigate the tricky world of homeowners insurance and oil spill claims. Contact us today – 1-(305) 742-0878.