Louisiana AG Files Petition Against BP

Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell has filed a Petition for Discovery and Investigation against British Petroleum in state court in Plaquemines Parish as a result of the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The petition alleges that BP has failed to cooperate and share important information with the state, specifically information requested repeatedly by the Louisiana Workforce Commission and the Louisiana Department of Social Services regarding claims data collected by ESIS, the third party claims administrator, and for information about workers hired by BP.

The filing came after Gov. Bobby Jindal announced that $5 million of a $25 million total block grant given to the state for oil clean up and response efforts would go to Caldwell’s office to support expenses incurred as a result of the spill.

Louisiana has been trying to procure information from BP since May 3, according to Caldwell. “The state has made several requests for this information and/or further explanation but has not received an adequate response.”

The petition seeks a court order for “BP to produce information that the state needs to monitor BP’s claims process to ensure that our citizens are being treated fairly and receiving proper assistance,” the AG said.

The state’s price tag for the oil spill litigation has been estimated at $65 million. Louisiana lawmakers have urged Caldwell and Jindal to file suit. The House passed Concurrent Resolution 192, which asks Caldwell and Jindal to “hastily determine the parties who are at fault in this incident and then timely pursue actions against such parties.”