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A2 | Washington County News
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
BP claims process difficult Chipley man injured in ATV accident ‘can be very frustrating’ From Staff Reports
By VALERIE GARMAN
747-5076 | @valeriegarman vgarman@pcnh.com PANAMA CITY BEACH — Filing an economic loss claim against BP can be daunting. It’s a task Panama City Beach resident Karen Newberry and thousands of other Gulf Coast residents affected by the 2010 oil spill have learned firsthand. Newberry, who closed her two auto detailing businesses after the spill, filed a claim against BP about a year ago and said she has been wrestling with the process ever since. “I put my heart and all my energy into making this successful,” Newberry said of her businesses. “I ended up losing both businesses … the economy couldn’t take the BP spill, it just couldn’t.” At the time of the spill in April 2010, Newberry owned and operated two locations of Coastal Auto Detailing, a wholesale store and retail store, in Panama City. The wholesale location closed three months after the spill, and the retail shop, which opened the same month of the spill, closed in April 2011. Newberry submitted economic loss claims for each business under the court supervised settlement program, which began in June 2012. She was denied compensation for her retail claim and offered $180,000 for her wholesale claim, a number that was appealed by BP with an initial proposal of $0. “I didn’t know they could do that; I thought it was pretty much settled,” Newberry said. “I’ve been told throughout this whole process that I qualified, and now all of a sudden I don’t.” After the appeal, Newberry submitted another proposal, to which BP responded with a compensation offer of $120,000. After going through an appeal panel review, the panel sided with BP’s offer. What surprised her, however, was the manner in which the panel commented on her claim, calling it a “lost cause” and a “pathetic case that seems to have gone out of control.” The comment went on to state that “BP offered $120,000, with no basis for coming up with that figure.” Newberry said she believed recent allegations of fraud surrounding the BP settlement process could be causing the claims administration to be more selective with claims.
CHIPLEY — A 28-year old Chipley man was injured Aug. 25 when his ATV went out of control and struck a mailbox, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report. Robert Strukel, 28, was critically injured when his Yamaha ATV went onto the shoulder of County Road 273 while he was turning a corner, causing Strukel to lose
“It’s really sad that the bad ones have to ruin it for the good ones,” said Newberry, who noted she would still be about $500,000 in debt if she accepts the wholesale settlement. “I want people to be paid what they owed.” Michael Scott, a certified public accountant with local firm Carr, Riggs and Ingram, said the back-and-forth Newberry experienced is not uncommon under the new claims process. “People don’t understand; this is a process that can be very frustrating, but they don’t just give out money for a (claim) that is just fallacious,” said Scott, who described the new process as “more transparent.” The current class action settlement agreement is open to businesses and individuals seeking to file claims for economic loss, property damage or personal injury resulting from the spill. The claimant’s home or businesses must fall within a specified geographic area to qualify. As of July 31, BP reported more than $10 billion paid out in individual and business claims. However, Scott said although claims are moving, it’s still not as quickly as most would like. “People do have to understand, if I filed a claim today, I wouldn’t expect to hear anything for 90 to 100 days, which is about three or four months,” he said. “It’s a huge process. There are thousands and thousands of claims involved.” Scott said Carr, Riggs and Ingram alone has pushed more than 4,000 claims through their Panama City office and even more through the Destin office. The firm also has hired about 20 staff members that do nothing but handle BP claims. “We’re trying to help people recover money according to the rules that BP has given,” Scott said. “We have a set of rules. Whether you agree or disagree with the rules, they are what they are.” Business owners and individuals have until April 22 to file a claim under the current settlement agreement. Scott said the best way to get started is to complete a causation test, a process that can be done in a matter of seconds. “There are still a lot of people that haven’t looked to see if they can make a claim,” Scott said. “Every business that is breathing, everyone that has been in business from 2007 to now should look at this.”
LIBRARY from page A1 She began as an assistant branch manager for the Washington County Public Library, which has branch libraries in Vernon, Wausau and Sunny Hills as well as the main library in Chipley. As library director, Rountree said her primary goal is to increase services to the library’s patrons. “I think a lot of people don’t realize all the services we have available at the library,” she said. In addition the obvious books, the library offers DVDs, audio books, children’s books and e-books. The library also offers a variety of programs such as the summer reading program for adults and children, ACT and SAT prep classes, proctored college exams and even tai chi classes. “As brick and mortar bookstores con-
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officials, religious leaders and economic development representatives. The diverse views would give lawmakers a broad perspective on gambling’s effects on various communities and how policy changes could affect them in the future, Gaetz said. Gaetz wants the Legislature to take a comprehensive approach to gaming in the coming session, potentially overhauling the industry, but large bills like that can be tough to pass. “Any time one tries to take a holistic or comprehensive approach to a problem, there’s a greater burden of proof that the policy change is well thought out,” he said. Such large-scale legislation creates greater potential for interest groups and communities to find something they oppose, Gaetz said. He remains confident Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, who chairs a Senate gaming panel, will find a comprehensive solution if there is one. And lawmakers have some time to get there. “As far as I know, the first word hasn’t been written in a proposed bill yet,” Gaetz said.
Chairman speaks Richter said he wants to hear the public’s concerns and what they support and oppose on gambling in the state. He said it’s important to pair the study’s objective analysis with the public feedback as lawmakers look to draft a bill. “My goal is to continue to build a foundation of information from which to make a good decision for the state of Florida,” he said, declining to take a position on expanding gambling. Richter said no legislation has been drafted at this point, and none will be until the second part of the study is returned. Right now, he has staff reviewing existing statutes. He said he chose the four cities to cap-
ture input from each part of the state: Jacksonville for the northeast, Pensacola for the northwest, Lakeland for Central Florida and Fort Lauderdale for South Florida. State Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City, said he’d also try to sit in on the Pensacola hearing and expects proposed legislation will include the creation of a gaming commission, which would have “more teeth” and structure to oversee the industry. Patronis is staunchly opposed to expanding gambling and has no plans to vote for a bill that only expands it. His vote next year will depend on the legislation, he said. A bill that broadens gambling in some areas, but contracts, or totally halts, it in others would be worth considering. “I’m convinced the process will have to have some type of compromise language in place to get support from folks like me,” he said. Patronis said he has no problem with gambling, but he doesn’t want it in his backyard. He said he worries about the “ills” that accompany it. I’m not going to be one of those that wants to expand gambling as we see it in Florida. Just because it exists in Mississippi is not a reason … to have it,” he said. State Rep. Marti Coley, R-Marianna, hasn’t changed her mind on opposing gambling either, but she wants to hear what Floridians have to say on the issue. “I’m anxious to hear the results of the public hearing,” she said, adding she will try to attend the Pensacola meeting. Coley noted the Legislature will need to renegotiate the Seminole compact, which regulates gambling in Seminole territory, because it expires in 2015. Coley acknowledged gambling is a hotbutton issue and will remain that way as the session approaches. “I’m sure there will be a lot of discussion and debate over the next few months,” she said.
BRIEF from page A1
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Visit Emerald Coast Hospice at 1330 South Blvd. in Chipley, call 638-8787 or email margo.lamb@gentiva. com.
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Sept. 10 in the County Government Annex Meeting Room, 1331 South Blvd. in Chipley.
Jerry Obert Golf Tournament set County Planning BONIFAY — The West Commission to meet Florida Baptist Men The Washington County will sponsor the Jerry Planning Commission Obert Memorial Golf will meet at 5 p.m. Tournament on Sept. 28
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tinue to disappear, the library becomes more and more important to a community,” Rountree said. Washington County has no movie theater, no bookstore and limited movie rental options, so the county library provides those services — and provides them for free. Library staff also have participated in local events such as Trunk or Treat and Legends & Lore at Falling Waters State Park, Rountree said. The library has also hosted concerts in the past, and Rountree plans to showcase more musical talent in the future. “I want to have more services and events for the public,” Rountree said. “I want people to see that we offer more than just books.”
GAMBLING from page A1
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control of the vehicle. The ATV collided with a mailbox and post at 3395 Orange Hill Road, causing the ATV to rotate counter-clockwise and overturn, throwing the rider. The ATV came to rest on the east shoulder facing north, with Strukel lying beside the Yamaha. He was taken to Bay Medical Center in Panama City for treatment, according to the report.
NO HIDDEN CHARGES: It is our policy that the patient and any other person responsible for payments has the right to refuse to pay, cancel payment or be reimbursed by payment or any other service, examination or treatment which is performed as a result of and within 72 hours of responding to the advertisement for the free, discounted fee or reduced fee service, examination or treatment.