Total will pay for the damages caused by the sinking of Erika

The Paris cassation court has confirmed the appeal court decision handed down on March 30, 2010 regards the sinking of Erika. Total will be required to pay 375 000 EUR (485 265 USD) of penal damage (maximum sentence) and 200.6 million EUR (259.5 million USD) for pure ecological damage. Even though the gaz company has already disbursed 171 million EUR (221 million USD) for the benefit of various associations, the company is challenging the existence of the pure ecological damage, arguing the personal character is not established (environment being the property of none). The cassation court dismissed, thus, Total’s motion and confirmed the previous sentences.