Feinberg Suggests Claimants Far From Spill May Have Difficulty Proving Losses

While he has said that he will consider oil spill claims regardless of geographic proximity to the spill, Kenneth Feinberg, independent administrator of the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, suggested today that it may be difficult for claimants to prove their losses if they are not near the Gulf.

“I originally said if you’re too far away from the spill, you’re out of luck. Well, I got my head handed to me on that one,” Feinberg, who recently said he would consider claims regardless of their proximity to the spill, said during an event at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce today. “But can you document your damage if you’re that far away?”

Feinberg also said that victims of the Gulf oil spill will receive more compensation if they apply through the GCCF rather than suing BP on their own. “You are better off taking this check than not taking this check,” he said. “And that’s your choice.”

Though the claims process has improved significantly over the last two months, some claimants still say it is difficult to get information about their claims from the GCCF. Still others say their claims have been under review for more than a month.