By ANITA LEE. Source: SunHerald

Attorney Kenneth Feinberg said Thursday his independent oil-spill claims process already has a better track record than BP’s, despite complaints that payments are far slower than promised, with many claimants still waiting for checks 10 days after Feinberg took charge.

“I hear about problems, but I also hear the good news that, as of today, I’ve paid out $60 million to probably about 6,000 claimants, including 1,200 businesses,” Feinberg said in a telephone interview Thursday afternoon. “We are doing right now 1,000 claims a day. That will increase, but I’m confident that most people recognize the success of the program. It’s easy to hear from the dissatisfied, but we’re doing something right. We can do better.”

Feinberg’s numbers show roughly 15 percent of all emergency claims filed have been paid since he took over Aug. 23. He said BP paid an average of $3,250 per claim, but his operation is paying an average of $10,000.

He acknowledged six-month emergency payments, as opposed to BP’s monthly payments, would boost his average.

Documentation issues

Feinberg said the biggest problem paying claims has been lack of documentation. His Gulf Coast Claims Facility is paying individual and private business losses caused by April’s BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

“There’s a serious problem that I’m trying to address concerning the absence of any degree of acceptable documentation,” he said. “I am now going back, trying to find a way consistent with my promise, to try to pay these individual claims with a minimum amount of documentation. But I need something.”

Feinberg promised in town hall meetings across the Gulf to pay individual claims within 48 hours, and business claims within seven days, of being finalized.

Many people, including members of the media, took that to mean claims would be paid 48 hours or seven days after they were submitted.

Additional glitches

But Feinberg was always careful in public meetings to stress the documentation would have to be verified before a claim was finalized.

Other glitches in the program have been reported since transition from BP to Feinberg’s GCCF. Some claimants have wound up with several claim numbers; supporting documentation can’t always be found; and call-center employees have been unable to say when callers can expect checks, numerous individuals have reported.

Biloxi attorney Judy Guice said she personally oversaw claims filing with GCCF for 15 clients, all of whom submitted complete documentation, and some of whom had established their losses and were receiving emergency payments from BP. Guice said Thursday morning none of those clients has been paid.

“What’s even more frustrating than the no-payment is that nobody can tell you what’s going on,” Guice said. “You can call the telephone number or go online, but you really don’t get anywhere.”

“It’s tough to explain to clients that were told with such vigor that this would be a quick process why they are not getting anywhere. People have a right to know what’s going on. That’s all anybody really asks, is to be told the truth.”

No contact with adjusters

When claimants call to check on payments, they receive only general responses that the claim has been submitted or is under review.

They can no longer talk to an adjuster, as they could with BP, or ask to be transferred to someone with more information.

Feinberg said he will check those issues and work to give people more information.

Along the Gulf Coast, nerves are frayed. Fishermen wonder how they will feed their families.

Cong Nguyen, a commercial fisherman from Gautier, picked up free food for his family at an event sponsored Wednesday in Biloxi by Boat People SOS.

He said shrimp are scarce and, even if they can be found, processors are unwilling to buy his catch because the public fears contamination. He has tried a few times to shrimp, but can’t afford to waste money on fuel.

“I filed a claim last week,” he said. “Today has been eight days. I didn’t hear anything.”

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