Deadline approaching for those wishing to sue Transocean over Deepwater Horizon disaster | al.com

Deadline approaching for those wishing to sue Transocean over Deepwater Horizon disaster | al.com: "Deadline approaching for those wishing to sue Transocean over Deepwater Horizon disaster"

MOBILE, Ala. -- People have less than a week to get involved in a lawsuit against Transocean, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon rig, in connection with last year’s oil spill.

U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier, based in New Orleans, set an April 20 deadline for plaintiffs to sign up for a February 2012 trial of the Transocean case.

The trial is part of the multi-district litigation blaming Transocean, BP PLC and several others for last year’s Gulf of Mexico spill. More than 40,000 individuals and businesses have signed up as plaintiffs so far, according to Stephen Herman, one of the lawyers on the plaintiffs steering committee.

The 2010 spill poured an estimated 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf, savaging the tourism and fishing seasons in a wide coastal region.

Transocean is trying to invoke a maritime law that would limit its liability to $27 million.

But according to a document released by Barbier’s court, the trial might also determine much larger issues, such as how fault could be divided amongst defendants and whether any defendant is liable for gross negligence, which could form the basis of a punitive damage award.

If people do not sign up for the trial, they risk losing the benefit of any ruling made against the drilling rig giant, said Joy Patterson, a spokeswoman for the Alabama Attorney General’s Office.

People who miss the deadline can still pursue a lawsuit against BP PLC or other parties linked to the spill, she said.

"It’s all about preserving rights," Herman said. "The only way you risk anything at all is by not filing by the deadline."

Anyone who believes they suffered damage from the oil spill can join the lawsuit by filling out a form and mailing it to the U.S. District Court in New Orleans, postmarked by April 20.

For more information about the form, or a copy to fill out, go online to www.laed.uscourts.gov/OilSpill/OilSpill.htm. People can also call 1-877-497-5926 or consult with a lawyer.

The form should be mailed to: Clerk of Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, 500 Poydras St., New Orleans, LA 70130.