"BP wins right to appeal some Gulf spill damages claims" 9 May 2015

A US federal appeals court said on Friday BP Plc deserves the right to appellate review of some damage claims awarded to people and businesses in connection with the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill...The decision...could help BP limit its payout to victims of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig...BP originally expected to pay $7.8 billion to resolve claims under a 2012 settlement, but by late April it had boosted its estimate to $10.3 billion, according to a regulatory filing...In its appeal, BP complained that rules adopted by US District Judge Carl Barbier compromised its right to appeal...Writing for the appeals court, Judge Fortunato Benavides said BP deserved that right to appeal because it did not expressly waive it...Lawyers for spill victims accused BP of appealing the awards as a means to relitigate the entire settlement...BP spokesman Geoff Morrell said the company is pleased with the ruling on appeals of individual claims determinations...