Traffic nightmare due to road and lane closures near eventful night in downtown Fort MyersFEMA gives Lee County another deadline extension for the flood insurance discount
MGN NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Nearly $1.24 billion in punitive damages arising from BP’s 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill will become available to property owners and some fishermen affected by the spill under a pending settlement with two corporations that also had a role in the disaster. A federal court hearing has been set for Nov. 10 on the agreement involving Halliburton Energy Services, Transocean Deepwater Inc. and related companies. The companies have agreed to pay punitive damages – payments meant to discourage future harmful acts – in addition to earlier settlements for actual damages. A news release on the settlement released Wednesday says most affected property owners won’t have to file a claim because they have filed claims for actual damages under a 2012 settlement .