Oil Spill Attorneys Say More Testing Needed

Attorney Stuart H. Smith, who is representing the United Commercial Fishermen of Louisiana, as well as environmental organizations and public entities against BP, et al, recently stated that he thinks BP has failed to properly collect and samples, and has worked to prevent outside scientists from collecting appropriate samples.

The samples are key to what is called air dispersion modeling and could be very important in fighting moves made by BP to claim that tarballs or oil contamination came from somewhere other than the Macondo well.

Since BP is strictly liable as the for claims under the Oil Protection Act, their defense is likely to be grounded on specific causation. If claimants are able to access information from proper environmental testing and oil finger-print analysis, they may be at an unfair disadvantage in trying to prove their oil spill damage claims.

Photo By: MA EPA