Deepwater Horizon Financial
Claims Settlement
Resource Guide
NAACP Gulf Coast
Financial Capacity Building Initiative
Goals
Review the GCCF transition to the
Settlement Program
 Settlement Program Claim Requirements
 Settlement Program Zones
 Validating Your Claim
 Completing Your Claim

Step # 1
Claims Settlement Overview
Deepwater Horizon Financial
Claims Settlement
•
On May 2, 2012, the Court granted
preliminary approval of the Economic Class
and the Settlement, and ordered that the
Court-Supervised Settlement Program should
begin accepting claims on June 4, 2012.
•
People have until November 8, 2012 to submit
a claim. The Court will consider final approval
of the Settlement at a Fairness Hearing
scheduled for November 8, 2012.
Who is involved in the
settlement?
•The
Economic and Property Damages Settlement is
a class action settlement. Here, the class
representatives are the individuals and businesses
named as plaintiffs in the Class Action Complaint.
•These
"Economic Class Representatives" represent a
larger group of individuals and businesses with similar
claims (the "Economic Class"). Those who meet the
class definition are called the Economic Class
Members.
Step # 2
IDENTIFYING CLAIMS
Settlement Categories or Economic
& Property Settlements
This Settlement involves 8 different damage categories:
1.
2.
Seafood Compensation Program
Economic Damage Claim Process

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
(Including economic loss claims by Businesses, Failed Businesses, Start-Up
Businesses, Individuals, and Individual Periodic Vendors and Festival
Vendors)
Subsistence Damage Claims Process
VoO Charter Payment Claims Process
Vessel Physical Damage Claims Process
Coastal Real Property Damage Claim Process
Real Property Sales Damage Claim Process
Wetlands Real Property Damage Claims Process
Step # 3
Validate Your Situation
How do I know if I am
economic class member?
Do you live in the U.S.?
At any time between April 20, 2010 and April 16,
2012, did you:
- live in the Gulf Coast Areas
- work in the Gulf Coast Areas or Specified Gulf
Waters
- get offered and accepted work in the Gulf Coast
Areas or Specified Gulf Waters
- own or lease property in the Gulf Coast Areas
- own, lease, or work on a vessel harbored or homeported in the Gulf Coast Areas or Specified Gulf
Waters
How do I know if I am
economic class member?
OR
Did you work on a vessel in Specified Gulf Waters that
landed Seafood in the Gulf Coast Areas after April 20,
2009?
OR
Do you have any economic loss arising out of the
Deepwater Horizon Incident?
Determine your Geographic
Location
The location of your property is a factor in determining if your
property is eligible for that type of claim, and if so, the
amount of your payment.
 For example, to be eligible to make a claim for Coastal Real
Property Damage, Real Property Sales Damage, and Wetlands
Real Property Damage, your property must be located in the
Claim Zone applicable to one of those Damage Categories.
 You can find out what Zone(s) you, your business, or your
property may be in by using the interactive mapping tool,
which allows you to search the maps by entering an address,
latitude and longitude, or pointing to a specific location on
the map.
 Or you can call the Settlement Program at 1-866-992-6174
or visiting a Claimant Assistance Center.
Step # 4
Settlement Zones
What zone do I qualify for?
You can find out what Zone(s) you, your
business, or your property qualify by using
the Deepwater Horizon Mapping Tool
 Paper versions of the map & zones are
available. Both online and paper versions
are available in the “Maps” tab. For the
online version go to maps and find the
interactive mapping tool.

What zone do I qualify for?
http://www.deepwaterhorizoneconomicsettlement.com/maps.php
So What Claims are Excluded from
the settlement?







Bodily Injury Claims
Claims by BP shareholders in any derivative action or direct
action solely in their capacity as a BP shareholder
Moratoria Loss Claims
Claims relating to menhaden (or "pogy") fishing, processing,
selling, catching, or harvesting
Claims for economic damage suffered by entities or
employees in the Banking, Gaming, Financial, Insurance, Oil
and Gas, Real Estate Development, Defense Contractor
Industries, and entities selling or marketing BP-branded fuel
Claims of the Economic Class for punitive damages against
Halliburton and Transocean
Assigned Claims of the Economic Class
If I qualify as an Economic Class Member, am I
required to participate in the settlement?
File a
Claim
If you do nothing,
you will not get a
payment from this
settlement.
Opt Out
Unless you Opt Out,
you will not be able
to start a lawsuit,
continue with a
lawsuit, or be part of
any other lawsuit
against BP.
What if I object to the terms of the
settlement?
Send a letter explaining your
objection to the proposed
Economic & Property Damages
Settlement.
Through an attorney hired at
your own expense.Your
attorney will have to file a
notice of appearance with the
Court by August 31, 2012.
Fairness Hearing on November
8, 2012 at which the Court will
consider any objections to the
Settlement and determine
whether to grant final approval
of the Settlement Agreement
Step # 5
The Registration Form
Do I have to file a Claim to get a
Settlement Payment?
Regardless of whether or not you previously filed
a claim with BP or the GCCF, you must file a
claim with the Settlement Program to request any
Settlement Payments for which you may be
eligible.
GCCF
• Closed March
8th
• Kenneth
Feinberg
Settlement
Program
• Opened June 4th
• Patrick Juneau
Two Steps to begin the registration process:
Registration
Form
Can be
completed
online by
mail, fax, or
in person
Claims
Form
Paper Forms call: 1-866-992-6174
How do I submit documents to
support my claim?




Online: Follow the instructions.
In Person: Claimant Assistance Centers.
Mail:
Deepwater Horizon Court-Supervised
Settlement Program
P.O. Box 1439
Hammond, LA 70404-1439.
Fax: Fax your Supporting Documentation
to the Settlement Program at 1-(888) 5241583.
Important facts before you apply!
You can participate in the settlement even if you received
payment for BP, from the GCCF if you did not sign a
Release and Covenant Not to Sue
 Apply even if the GCCF denied or rejected your initial
claim and this cannot be held against you during the
Settlement Program’s evaluation of your claim.
 If you had a claim pending with the GCCF, it was
transferred to the Transition Process on March 8, 2012, and
then transferred to the Settlement Program on June 4,
2012.You must apply through the Settlement Program.
 You must file all of your claims before the close of the
Settlement Program, which will be April 22, 2014

◦ Seafood Compensation Program December 8, 2012.
Where can I go for help?
There are Claimant Assistance Centers
located throughout the Gulf region
staffed by individuals trained to assist
you with your Settlement claim.
 Call 1-866-992-6174 to find a Claimant
Assistance Center near you.
