U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance is expected to issue a ruling on BP’s plea deal just before the end of this month — January 29. With this deadline fast approaching, some of the family members of those killed in the Deepwater Horizon explosion have contacted to Vance to share their feelings about the plea deal and to make any last minute requests for additional or alternate penalties in the decision.

According to the existing deal, BP would submit a guilty plea to charges of lying to congress about the amount of oil spilled in the 2010 disaster, and plead guilty to criminal charges related to the 11 deaths that resulted from the rig explosion. For this guilty plea, the case would be settled for a record-breaking $1.3 billion in fines, which is in addition to the $24.2 billion that BP has already paid up to this point. If Vance rejects these penalties, BP could reject the deal altogether.

Unfortunately, even with the incredible amount of money that has already been poured into clean up and restoration efforts, many are still feeling the financial effects of this disaster. If you are having trouble securing the financial assistance you need under the CSSP, do not hesitate to take action. Contact the legal team at Williams Hart today by calling 800-821-1544.