BP
and
the
other
companies
claimed
the
US
Oil
Pollution
Act
(OPA)
prevented
plaintiffs
from
collecting
punitive
damages.
US
District
Judge
Carl
Barbier
in
New
Orleans
ruled
that
the
statute
is
“silent
as
to
the
availability
of
punitive
damages”
and
plaintiffs
can
pursue
such
claims
under
maritime
law,
Bloomberg
reported.
“OPA
does
not
displace
general
maritime
law
claims
for
those
plaintiffs
who
would
have
been
able
to
bring
such
claims
prior
to
OPA’s
enactment,”
Barbier
said.
“These
plaintiffs
assert
plausible
claims
for
punitive
damages
against
responsible
and
non-responsible
parties.”
Barbier
also…
