Monumental BP Gulf Oil Spill Settlement

In 2010, Partner Ervin A. Gonzalez was selected by Federal Judge Carl Barbier of the Eastern District of Louisiana among 300 highly qualified applicants to sit on the Plaintiff Steering Committee (PSC) in the multidistrict litigation surrounding the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill. Gonzalez was one of 17 lawyers from around the country selected to serve on the PSC and oversee plaintiffs’ claims stemming from the spill.

As a member of the PSC, Gonzalez was instrumental in securing a monumental settlement in March 2012 between BP and hundreds of thousands of victims of the 2010 BP Gulf Oil Spill. Under the terms of the settlement – which still must receive approval from Judge Barbier before it can be considered final – BP is obligated to fully satisfy all eligible business and individual claims. BP has estimated the value of the settlement at $7.8 billion, but there is no limit and all claimants’ damages that qualify under the terms of the agreement will be fully compensated. The settlement is broken down into two parts: The Economic and Property Damages Settlement and The Medical Benefits Settlement. The settlement will compensate class members for medical bills, damaged property and other economic losses. Gonzalez was additionally appointed as the settlement class counsel to represent each of the settlement classes.