May 8 (Reuters) - BP Plc deserves the right to have afederal appeals court review some damage claims awarded underthe settlement to compensate people and businesses harmed by the2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a U.S. appeals court ruled onFriday.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans said BPdid not expressly waive its right to appeal various claimsdeterminations made under the 2012 settlement following reviewby a district court. BP argued that rules adopted by the federaljudge who oversees that settlement compromised that right.
BP is trying to hold down the costs of the settlementarising from the April 20, 2010 explosion of the DeepwaterHorizon drilling rig, which killed 11 workers and caused thelargest U.S. offshore oil spill. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by SteveOrlofsky and Alan Crosby)