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• Three accused of filing false Medicaid claims

  May 17, 2013 12:01 PM

  ZACHARY - The Louisiana Attorney General's Office announced three Zachary women have been arrested and charged with filing false Medicaid claims. Investigators said the three women, all personal care attendants, filed timesheets claiming they were working with Medicaid recipients at the same time they were actually working for another... more »

• La. unemployment claims decrease

  May 10, 2013 11:45 AM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending May 4 decreased from the previous week's total. The state labor department figures released Friday show the initial claims decreased to 2,466 from the previous week's total of 2,541. For the comparable week a year earlier,... more »

• Deadline looms for Isaac flood insurance claims

  April 17, 2013 8:12 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A deadline is approaching for Louisiana policyholders to file flood insurance claims over damage from Hurricane Isaac last year. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says most policyholders with the National Flood Insurance Program have until April 22 to complete their proof-of-loss claims. FEMA says the... more »

• Judge rejects claims over failed Katrina floodwall

  April 16, 2013 10:45 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has rejected claims that excavation work by an Army Corps of Engineers contractor weakened a New Orleans floodwall and caused it to breach in two places during Hurricane Katrina. U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval Jr. said in his ruling last Friday that he can't... more »

• State has millions in unclaimed insurance money

  February 22, 2013 5:49 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Department of Insurance is sitting on $255 million in unclaimed money, and some of it could be yours. The money comes from a surcharge tacked on to all homeowner's insurance premiums to fund Louisiana Citizens Insurance in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. ... more »

• Extension to file Hurricane Isaac claims

  February 22, 2013 11:07 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Property owners with flood insurance policies whose homes or other structures were damaged during Hurricane Isaac have an additional 60 days to file claims for their flood-related losses. Policy owners now have until April 22 to complete their proof of loss claims. The National Flood Insurance Program says... more »

• Deadline extended for Isaac claims

  January 23, 2013 7:19 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana property owners with flood insurance policies whose homes or other structures were damaged during Hurricane Isaac have another 30 days to file claims for their flood losses. Policy owners now have until Feb. 21 to complete their proof of loss. The National Flood Insurance... more »

• State's Medicaid contract gains in value

  January 9, 2013 7:12 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A $185 million multiyear contract with a company to take over the state's Medicaid claims processing is getting more lucrative. State Department of Health and Hospitals Undersecretary Jerry Phillips said an amendment will add about $8 million to the money CNSI will receive under its contract.... more »

• Congress approves $9.7 billion in Sandy flood aid

  January 4, 2013 3:40 PM

  WASHINGTON - The new Congress has passed a $9.7 billion bill to help pay flood insurance claims to homeowners, renters and businesses damaged by Superstorm Sandy. The bill cleared the Senate following passage earlier Friday by the House. It replenishes the National Flood Insurance Program that was due to run... more »

• $5B in government recoveries on false claims cases

  December 4, 2012 11:55 AM

  WASHINGTON - The Justice Department has recovered a record $5 billion in the past year from companies that filed false claims against the government. Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West said Tuesday that the federal False Claims Act is the most powerful tool the government has for protecting the integrity... more »

• Feds drop sex abuse case against Syracuse's Fine

  November 9, 2012 10:33 AM

  SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Federal officials are dropping their investigation of sexual abuse claims against former Syracuse University assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine. They said Friday they found no evidence to support a man's accusations that Fine molested him in 2002 in a Pittsburgh hotel room when the team played there.... more »

• Judge to hold fairness hearing on BP settlement

  November 8, 2012 7:47 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge in New Orleans is set to preside over a fairness hearing for a proposed class-action settlement of economic damage claims spawned by BP's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. During Thursday's hearing, the London-based oil giant and a team of private... more »

• Thousands opting out of BP spill settlement

  November 1, 2012 10:03 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The architects of a proposed class-action settlement of claims spawned by the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are confident it won't be derailed by thousands of businesses and individuals opting out of the deal. Thursday is the deadline for claimants to postmark written... more »

• Citizens has settled 85 percent of Isaac claims

  October 15, 2012 2:39 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's state-run property insurer of last resort says it's settled 85 percent of the more than 17,000 claims it received about damage from Hurricane Isaac. The company - Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation - said Monday that it expects Isaac to cost between $75 million and $100... more »

• Isaac causes spike in initial jobless claims

  September 14, 2012 4:30 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Hurricane Isaac caused a spike in initial claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending Sept. 8. Figures released Friday show initial claims increased to 9,023 from 2,345. That's the most initial claims filed in one week since Hurricanes Gustav and Ike impacted Louisiana in... more »

• Congress OK's spending BP fines on Gulf

  June 29, 2012 3:53 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Congress has voted to set aside 80 percent of water pollution fines BP PLC is expected to pay for its 2010 oil spill and spend that money on ecosystem and economic restoration in five Gulf states. The House and Senate included the provision in a transportation bill... more »

• New oil spill claims administrator meets with lawmakers Play Video

  June 28, 2012 5:54 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The new court appointed claims administrator for the BP oil spill made a stop at the State Capitol today. Pat Juneau of Lafayette replaced Kenneth Feinberg earlier this year. Today, he highlighted the work being done at more than a dozen claims centers, including one in... more »

• Louisiana 1st-time jobless claims increase

  June 15, 2012 5:35 PM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending June 9 increased from the previous week's total. The state labor department figures released Friday show the initial claims increased to 4,272 from the previous week's total of 4,177. The figure was below what it was... more »

• Louisiana 1st-time jobless claims decrease

  June 8, 2012 10:32 AM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending June 2 decreased from the previous week's total. The state labor department figures released Friday show the initial claims decreased to 4,177 from the previous week's total of 4,285. The figure was lower than it was... more »

• FTC: Shoe buyers eligible for refunds

  May 16, 2012 10:36 AM

  WASHINGTON - Claims that Skechers' fitness shoes can help shed pounds and tone muscles are sketchy at best, according to the government. The fitness shoe advertising campaign is going to cost the company millions of dollars. The footwear company will pay $40 million to settle charges by the Federal... more »

• Gulf residents to get extra $64M for spill claims

  April 20, 2012 7:28 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The Justice Department says more than $64 million will be paid to about 7,300 people and businesses whose claims with BP's $20 billion compensation fund were shortchanged or wrongfully denied after the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The department recently announced that an independent... more »

• Mega millions lottery winner claims prize

  April 9, 2012 5:27 PM

  BALTIMORE - Maryland lottery officials say a holder of a winning Mega Millions ticket has come forward to claim a share of the record-breaking, $656 million prize. Lottery spokeswoman Carole Everett says the winner claimed the prize with the winning ticket at lottery headquarters on Monday. She says she wouldn't... more »

• La. initial jobless claims increase slightly

  March 30, 2012 2:39 PM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time claims for jobless benefits rose a bit last week in Louisiana. The state Workforce Commission reported 2,873 initial claims for the week ending March 24. The previous week, there were 2,830 first-time claims. For the comparable week a year ago, there were 4,087 initial claims. The... more »

• Court: Ex-Saints punter's claims must be arbitrated

  March 23, 2012 2:24 PM

  NEW ORLEANS- A federal appeals court has ruled that former New Orleans Saints punter Mitch Berger's claims against an ex-teammate over a bogus investment deal are covered by an arbitration agreement and can't be resolved in court. Friday's ruling by a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of... more »

• 5,000 new claims filed after BP settlement

  March 23, 2012 10:20 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - More than 1,000 claimants have received around $27 million in the two weeks since a court-supervised administrator took over the processing of claims spawned by the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico from BP PLC's $20 billion compensation fund. A statement Friday by Patrick Juneau,... more »

• AP: Court takes over oil spill claims

  March 8, 2012 11:05 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- A federal judge has signed off on a transition process that relieves Kenneth Feinberg of his duties as administrator of BP's $20 billion compensation fund for victims of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Thursday's order by U.S District Judge Carl Barbier calls for a... more »

• Caddo Parish train accident claims woman's life

  March 5, 2012 7:22 AM

  SHREVEPORT - The Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office investigated a train accident that claimed a woman's life Sunday evening. Officials say the accident happened about 6:30 p.m. on a Union Pacific railroad track that crosses Bert Kouns Industrial Loop and runs behind subdivisions on the west side of Youree Drive... more »

• 1st-time claims decline in La.

  February 24, 2012 11:03 AM

  BATON ROUGE- First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending Feb. 18 declined from the previous week's total. The state labor department figures released Friday show the initial claims fell to 3,007 from the previous week's total of 3,143. The figure was lower than it was for... more »

• Al-Qaida claims deadly attacks on Iraqi cities

  February 24, 2012 4:59 AM

  BAGHDAD - Iraq's al-Qaida branch has claimed responsibility for the wave of bombings and other attacks that killed dozens in Baghdad and across the country the day before. The Islamic State of Iraq says it targeted security forces and government officials in "revenge for the elimination and torture campaigns that... more »

• Court tosses claims over 2008 death

  January 11, 2012 7:32 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A federal appeals court has rejected claims that St. Martin Parish sheriff's deputies used excessive force on a fleeing suspect who died after he was shocked with a stun gun. A three-judge panel from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that the deputies... more »

• Taliban claims responsibility for 3 NATO deaths

  December 28, 2011 5:37 AM

  KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Taliban is claiming responsibility for an attack in Afghanistan that killed three NATO service members. The three were killed Tuesday by a roadside bomb in the eastern part of the country, 60 miles south of Kabul. NATO hasn't given the nationalities of the dead, but... more »

• Unemployment insurance claims down

  November 18, 2011 3:55 PM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending Nov.12 decreased from the previous week's total. The state labor department figures released Friday show the initial claims dropped to 3,321 from the previous week's total of 3,678. The figure was lower than it was... more »

• La. initial jobless claims remain steady

  October 7, 2011 4:24 PM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time claims for unemployment benefits remained steady last week in Louisiana. However, the Louisiana Workforce Commission said Friday the number of additional benefit weeks requested by those looking for work fell to its lowest level in 2011. There were 3,236 initial jobless claims for the... more »

• Lawmaker says BP claims aren't enough for stricken residents

  September 29, 2011 6:32 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana may not be getting a fair shake when it comes to the BP claims process, according to some state lawmakers. Representative Joe Harrison (R-Houma) said at a claims hearing in Baton Rouge today that hurricanes, river flooding, seafood imports and the oil spill have all... more »

• 2 Ala. residents plead guilty to oil spill fraud

  September 26, 2011 11:59 AM

  MOBILE, Ala. - Two residents have admitted filing false claims so they could receive money meant for people harmed by last year's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Pamela Washington and Robert Brown pleaded guilty last week to conspiracy to commit fraud. The Mobile Press-Register reports that prosecutors... more »

• More BP Claims Offices Closing

  August 31, 2011 5:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Seven of the remaining 27 BP claims offices helping people with the aftereffects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will be closed effective Thursday, according to claims administrator Ken Feinberg. Two of the closures are in Louisiana, the New Iberia and Venice locations. Many businesses in... more »

• Settlement for 1 drywall case progresses

  July 14, 2011 2:28 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A proposed $55 million settlement of claims against a Miami-based supplier of tainted Chinese drywall has been granted preliminary approval by a federal judge in New Orleans, but it is far from a done deal. U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon's approval on Thursday sets the stage... more »

• Judge dismisses batch of oil spill court claims

  June 17, 2011 3:08 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- A federal judge has dismissed a batch of court claims that accused BP PLC and other companies sued over the massive Gulf oil spill of violating the Clean Water Act and other environmental laws. In his ruling Thursday, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier says some of the claims... more »

• Businesses say claims process unfair, failing

  April 20, 2011 10:24 PM

  BATON ROUGE- While some big companies got millions in payments for BP claims, a lot of little guys are still waiting. Even though $4 billion has been handed out, people we talked to say nothing seems to be good enough to Claims Administrator Ken Feinberg to get their fair... more »

• Dispute heats up over BP's $20B oil spill fund

  April 13, 2011 1:51 PM

  JACKSON, Miss. - The administrator of BP's $20 billion oil spill fund says Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood could undermine the claims process by urging a court to intervene and by making allegations that border on defamation. Hood called those statements, made Tuesday in a court filing in Louisiana,... more »

• Deadly crash claims life of Napoleonville man

  April 1, 2011 3:05 PM

  A deadly car crash in Terrebonne Parish has claimed the life of a Napoleonville man. It happened just after 11 p.m. Thursday on LA 24 in Terrebonne Parish. Authorities say 23 year-old Jonathan Durocher was driving northbound, when he ran off the road, hit a fence, an unoccupied... more »

• Initial jobless claims up on GM shutdown

  April 1, 2011 1:50 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. - Louisiana labor officials say first-time claims for unemployment benefits jumped last week in the state, primarily because of a one-week shutdown of the General Motors Co. plant in Shreveport. The state Workforce Commission said there were 4,087 initial claims for the week ending March 26.... more »

• La. first-time jobless claims jump 11 percent

  March 11, 2011 3:59 PM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time jobless claims in Louisiana took an 11 percent jump last week. The Louisiana Workforce Agency says there were 3,543 initial claims from the newly unemployed during the week ending March 5. The state tallied 3,196 first-time claims the previous week. The four-week moving average... more »

• State jobless claims largely stable

  March 4, 2011 3:10 PM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time claims for unemployment payments were almost unchanged last week in Louisiana. The Louisiana Workforce Commission says there were 3,196 initial claims for the week ending Feb. 26. The state took in 3,167 initial claims the previous week. For the comparable week ending Feb. 27,... more »

• Initial jobless claims in Louisiana fall

  February 25, 2011 2:35 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. - First-time claims for jobless benefits in Louisiana dropped 24 percent last week. The Louisiana Workforce Commission recorded 3,167 initial filings for the week ending February 19th. That's down from the previous week's total of 4,158. For the comparable week ending February 20th, 2010,... more »

• BP calls oil spill claims formula too generous

  February 17, 2011 2:37 PM

  NEW ORLEANS- The administrator of the $20 billion fund for Gulf oil spill victims, under fire for red tape and delays, has been told by BP that his formula for determining final payments is actually too generous. A document purporting to be from a major business was posted on... more »

• Many in Grand Isle leery of Feinberg's recovery claims

  February 2, 2011 11:02 PM

  GRAND ISLE - People on Grand Isle are still waiting for their BP checks to come in. They are leery of claims administrator Ken Feinberg's claim that the recovery process will be over in three years. Sarah's Restaurant on the island has lost more than $150,000, but has only gotten... more »

• Feinberg: "Gulf should recover in 3 years"

  February 2, 2011 11:38 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- The man in charge of dolling out BP's $20 billion compensation fund, says he expects the gulf to recover within three years. The assessment will be used to determine how much to pay spill victims in their final settlements. Ken Feinberg says "various data and expert... more »

• Judge asked to intervene in BP claims process

  February 1, 2011 4:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE – Louisiana’s governor and attorney general want a judge to step in and oversee communications between people claiming a portion of BP’s oil spill compensation fund and the fund’s administrator, Ken Feinberg. Attorney General Buddy Caldwell filed the motion in federal court in New Orleans today. It asks... more »

• Potential scams top 7,000 in BP spill compensation

  January 27, 2011 5:03 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The administrator of a $20 billion fund responsible for compensating victims of BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill says he has received more than 7,000 potentially fraudulent claims. Attorney Kenneth Feinberg told a Senate panel in Washington on Thursday that 7,575 claims have been deemed to be... more »

• Ministers complain about slow payments

  January 24, 2011 4:09 PM

  METAIRIE - Sometimes chanting "Write the check," about 40 black ministers and protesters gathered at a suburban New Orleans church, demanding faster action from the BP claims process. Ministers said failure to pay fishermen and others affected by the BP oil spill has led to widespread suffering, as well as... more »

• $2.6M deal to settle FEMA mobile home claims

  January 21, 2011 5:40 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Companies that manufactured mobile homes for FEMA after Hurricane Katrina have agreed to pay $2.6 million to resolve thousands of claims the temporary shelters exposed Gulf Coast storm victims to potentially dangerous fumes. Attorneys for plaintiffs and roughly two dozen mobile home makers and their subsidiaries on... more »

• BP oil spill claims czar returns to Gulf Coast

  January 17, 2011 1:49 PM

  BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. - The administrator of BP's $20 billion oil spill claims fund returns to the Gulf Coast this week amid increasing complaints that the program is failing to compensate many in need. Attorney Kenneth Feinberg will meet Tuesday with residents, business owners and fishermen in Bayou La... more »

• Businesses, families still struggling after oil spill

  January 11, 2011 10:28 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Many say a one-time payment months ago from the Gulf Coast Claims Center isn't helping anymore. And without any more money, they're without work and struggling to survive at home. That's what hundreds on the coast have told claims administrator Ken Feinberg at town hall meetings... more »

• Gulf spill suit lawyers want claims czar reined in

  December 21, 2010 5:53 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Lead attorneys for people and businesses suing over the Gulf oil spill want a federal judge overseeing their cases to rein in the administrator of the $20 billion victims compensation fund that BP set up. Describing fund administrator Ken Feinberg as a pawn in a BP shell... more »

• Protesters complain about oil spill claims process

  December 17, 2010 3:40 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Ministers and others affiliated with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference protested at the Louisiana Capitol what they called an unfair process for doling out money to Gulf oil spill victims. About 250 people were part of the protest Thursday. They say Kenneth Feinberg, the administrator of a $20... more »

• Seven accused of oil spill damage fraud

  December 10, 2010 3:11 PM

  NEW ORLEANS- At least seven people have now been indicted for allegedly filing fraudulent damage claims for money following the BP oil spill. A New Orleans based indictment was filed against Cam T. Hang, alleging she falsely stated that her seafood restaurant loss $42,000 because of the spill. ... more »

• Initial jobless claims jump in Louisiana

  November 29, 2010 11:22 AM

  BATON ROUGE - First-time claims for jobless benefits in Louisiana increase by over 250 during the week ending Nov. 20. The Louisiana Workforce Commission says there were 4,293 of the newly unemployed seeking benefits. That's up from the previous week's total of 4,041. For the comparable week ending Nov. 21,... more »

• Gulf Coast hopes for post-spill boom from retirees

  November 25, 2010 11:36 AM

  ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - For all the oil spill claims and cleanup work by BP, retirees from the North may be the best survival bet for some Gulf Coast resort towns this winter. After a disastrous summer tourism season and a slower-than-normal fall, Northern and Midwestern visitors known as "snowbirds"... more »

• Gulf spill fund gets flood of last-minute claims

  November 24, 2010 12:16 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The administrator of a $20 billion fund set up to pay for damages from the Gulf oil spill says he received a flood of last-minute emergency claims before a key deadline ended. Kenneth Feinberg said Wednesday that most of those claims likely will be denied because... more »

• Gulf spill fund gets flood of last-minute claims

  November 24, 2010 11:08 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The administrator of a $20 billion fund set up to pay for damages from the Gulf oil spill says he received a flood of last-minute emergency claims before a key deadline ended. Kenneth Feinberg said Wednesday that most of those claims likely will be denied because there... more »

• Senate approves $4.6B for black farmers, Indians

  November 19, 2010 3:44 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Senate has approved almost $4.6 billion to settle longstanding claims brought by American Indians and black farmers against the government. The money has been held up for months in the Senate as Democrats and Republicans squabbled over how to pay for it. Both of the class action... more »

• Number of people denied BP money up sharply

  November 1, 2010 3:54 PM

  OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - BP's claims chief says the number of residents being denied compensation for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is rising sharply because of a flood of new claims without proper documentation or with no proof at all. Some 20,000 people have been told they have no... more »

• Woman pleads guilty to filing false tax return

  October 28, 2010 5:05 AM

  A Baton Rouge woman has pleaded guilty to federal charges that she conspired to file false claims for tax refunds. Levonne Stewart pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Stewart faces up to 32 years in prison and a $750,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Donald J. Cazayoux's office... more »

• Feinberg: 4,000 form letters for grocery money

  September 29, 2010 8:44 AM

  The oil spill compensation fund's administrator says about half the households in Plaquemines Parish are using photocopied form letters without any documentation to ask for grocery money. Kenneth Feinberg says he's received 4,000 such letters. He calls it outrageous, and says he cannot pay those claims. One letter cites hardships... more »

• People who were denied claims from BP may be paid

  September 28, 2010 6:48 PM

  People who filed claims with BP and were denied may be paid after all. That’s because of a new, more lenient review process. As News 2’s Michael Shingleton found out, some restaurant owners didn’t know about the change. more »

• BP fund czar promises bigger, faster claims

  September 25, 2010 3:14 PM

  The administrator of the fund for victims of the Gulf oil spill says people should start getting bigger payments. And he says they will be getting them faster. Kenneth Feinberg, administrator for the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, said in a news release Saturday that he is responding to criticism from... more »

• Grand Isle residents still worried about future

  September 23, 2010 6:42 PM

  People on Grand Isle worry money flowing in fast now will soon dry up. Money has been rolling into Grand Isle all summer and continues to do so as "tourist season" winds down, despite the island's close proximity to the oil leak in the Gulf. Clifford Santiny's business... more »

• Oil claims meeting turns chaotic, Feinberg promises more

  September 13, 2010 6:35 PM

  Speed and generosity is what Gulf oil spill claims Administrator Kenneth Feinberg promised to hundreds who packed the Houma Civic Center Monday, eager to get answers on when they will get their checks and why they have not gotten more already. Pelted with question after question from an audience... more »

• Element of BP claims process to be reviewed

  September 13, 2010 12:15 PM

  The administrator of the $20 billion victims compensation fund that BP set up after the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill is considering making a significant concession following strong criticism from residents about the claims process. The issue involves the current requirement that wages people have been paid to... more »

• Unemployment dips slightly in Louisiana last week

  September 10, 2010 2:20 PM

  First-time claims for unemployment payments dropped about 1 percent last week in Louisiana. The Louisiana Workforce Commission says there were 4,083 initial claims for the week ending Sept. 4. That's down from the previous week's tally of 4,120. The four-week moving average of first-time claims also fell last week to... more »

• First-time jobless claims rise 4 percent in LA

  August 27, 2010 2:38 PM

  Louisiana recorded a four percent increase in first-time claims for unemployment benefits last week. The Louisiana Workforce Commission says there were 4,140 initial claims for the week ending August 21st. That's up from the previous week's total of 3,987. For the comparable week ending Aug. 22, 2009, there were 4,411... more »

• Gov't says expect new oil spill claims regulations

  August 23, 2010 5:20 PM

  The federal government's lead man for oil spill related claims said to expect new regulations in the claims process. Spill compensation fund coordinator Ken Feinberg said there will be clean lines drawn to determine who qualifies for benefits and who doesn't. 154,000 claims have been filed since the Deepwater... more »

• Gulf claims facility begins operating today

  August 23, 2010 5:47 AM

  Operations begin today at the new claims facility for damages from the Gulf oil spill. Ken Feinberg, the administrator for claims, says it was his idea, not BP's, to require that anyone who receives a final settlement from the $20 billion fund give up the right to sue. Feinberg also... more »

• Feinberg: oil spill victims seeking claims must apply again

  August 18, 2010 4:46 PM

  The man who takes over the Gulf oil spill claims process on Monday says spill victims won't have to submit new documentation if they have a claim pending, but they must submit new applications. Ken Feinberg said Wednesday in suburban New Orleans that the new application can be filed online... more »

• BP to stop handling claims related to Gulf spill

  August 17, 2010 12:43 PM

  BP plans to stop processing claims from people and businesses hurt by the Gulf oil spill as it prepares to transfer that role to a government-appointed administrator. The company says it will stop accepting new claims after Wednesday. The Gulf Coast Claims Facility, led by Kenneth Feinberg, will... more »

• La. AG hires law firm for oil spill work

  August 14, 2010 9:46 AM

  Louisiana Attorney General James "Buddy" Caldwell's office has hired a Baton Rouge attorney and his Dallas-based law firm to help the state evaluate its potential Gulf oil spill claims. Caldwell's office announced Friday that attorney Burton LeBlanc and his firm, Baron & Budd, will work with BP PLC to ensure... more »

• As 39,000 spill claims dangle, BP defers to feds

  August 9, 2010 4:25 PM

  BP says it has received 145,000 claims for lost income because of its blown-out well and has paid out $324 million without denying a single claim. But the company said Monday it also has 39,000 claims pending - and some of those have been hanging for months. BP says... more »

• BP's Gulf oil spill costs rise to $6.1 billion

  August 9, 2010 5:49 AM

  BP says its costs to respond to the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has risen to about $6.1 billion. The price tag includes expenses for relief well drilling, the static kill and cementing procedure done on the blown out oil well, grants to Gulf coast states and... more »

• BP's Gulf damage payments up to $256 million

  July 28, 2010 10:26 AM

  BP PLC says it has paid $256 million - including $30 million over the past week - for lost income or business profit resulting from the Gulf oil spill. The company says will start sending at least another $60 million in advance money to cover August by the end... more »

• More hearings for Medicare fraud case

  July 22, 2010 6:49 PM

  The owners of two Baton Rouge area medical supply companies have been granted pretrial release. Veronica Green is the owner of AYS Medical Supplies. She is accused of filing millions in false claims for things such as power wheelchairs and knee braces. Liberty Medical Services owner Benjamin Amadi... more »

• Oil claims: 6 months of payments per each request

  July 11, 2010 10:42 AM

  The man in charge of providing compensation for victims of the Gulf oil spill says he's ready to give those eligible a full six months' worth of emergency payments on a single request. Ken Feinberg, who's administering the $20 billion fund established by BP, says that speeding up the claims... more »

• La.: too few BP adjusters to keep up with claims

  July 3, 2010 9:38 AM

  BP PLC is not hiring nearly enough claims adjusters to keep up with a flood of claims from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a consultant hired by the state of Louisiana says. The consultant also says the number of checks being sent spiked less than a week after Louisiana... more »

• BP claims to be paid out faster, no limit

  July 1, 2010 1:57 PM

  Kenneth Feinberg says he's changing the way BP claims are paid. Feinberg. who is the administrator of the $20 billion escrow fund, says the changes are needed so businesses can get emergency, lump-sum payments. Feinberg says there will be no limit on the claims. more »

• Oil spill claims confusion a concern for local business

  June 30, 2010 10:17 PM

  Questions surround the oil spill claims process that's already paid out $130 million. Claimants want to know where their money is. Congress wants to know who qualifies for what money. The man in charge of the whole thing is only promising to know soon. Superior Bait and Tackle owner Mark... more »

• Oil spill claims admin. says there will be "tough calls"

  June 30, 2010 10:24 AM

  Ken Feinberg, the man who is heading up the Gulf oil spill compensation program, told Congress that some of the claims he will have to decide will involve some tough calls. Feinberg testified in front of lawmakers in the House Small Business Committee today. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-FL, told... more »

• La. hires independent administrator for oil claims

  June 24, 2010 5:54 AM

  Louisiana has hired an independent administrator to perform a comprehensive review of BP's oil spill claims process. Cannon Cochran Management Services Inc. will also look at the effect of social, human, and workforce development services on the process. They will also provide technical support and consulting for negotiations for claims... more »

• Committee: BP has paid less than 12% of claims

  June 18, 2010 12:35 PM

  The House Judiciary Committee says data it has collected shows that BP has paid less than 12 percent of claims submitted by people and businesses arising from the Gulf oil spill. The committee said in a statement Friday that only $71 million out of an estimated $600 million had... more »

• BP Approves Business Claims

  June 15, 2010 11:16 AM

  BP says it has approved giving some money to businesses along the Gulf Coast that have been hurt by the oil spill. The company approved 337 checks for a total amount of $16 million to businesses that have filed damage claims in excess of $5,000. Presidential spokesman Robert... more »

• Gibbs: Administration may seize claims processing

  June 15, 2010 6:53 AM

  Presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs says the administration is ready to take over the handling of oil spill damage claims from BP if the British company doesn't set up an "independent entity" to do it. Gibbs said the oil giant's claims processing work has been unsatisfactory. He noted that Obama "has... more »

• State suing BP to get access to oil spill claims

  June 4, 2010 10:28 PM

  Attorney General Buddy Caldwell turned to the courts Friday to get BP to cooperate with the state. Some agencies have needed access to BP's oil spill claims database for more than a month. The state said it wants to see the information for several reasons. The main one is to... more »

• Louisiana jobless claims up

  June 4, 2010 11:35 AM

  First-time unemployment claims in Louisiana rose 11.2 percent last week. The Louisiana Workforce Commission blames the jump on a typical seasonal pattern involving educational services, health care and social assistance. The agency says there were 5,166 initial claims for benefits for the week ending May 29 - up from... more »