Gulf Oil Dilemma: Accept Payout From BP Or Sue

MIAMI — Alabama seafood market owner David Scott faces a difficult decision as he tries to rejuvenate his business after the Gulf oil spill: He can accept a piece of BP's $20 billion claims fund — relatively fast, easy money — or sue the oil giant for a bigger payday, wait years and risk ending up with nothing.

Thousands of business owners, fishermen and others along the Gulf Coast are confronting a similar conundrum. Those who accept a check for their long-term losses from the victims' compensation fund will have to give up their right to sue BP.

Scott, who runs Destin Connections Seafood Market in Montgomery, Ala., said business was off more than $49,000 in May and June compared with the year before. He said he is still weighing his options and waiting to see what BP is willing to offer.

"At this point, we've got to give BP a chance to do what they said they were going to do," he said. "I can prove my loss. Sales were just way off, and I couldn't get what I needed, and people weren't coming in to buy either."

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Photo by Jamie Martin, Associated Press