BP said it's paid more claims than what is reflected in data from US House committee

WASHINGTON – WASHINGTON (AP) — BP says it has paid a higher percentage of claims to those harmed by the Gulf spill than was indicated by data from the House Judiciary Committee.

The committee said in a statement Friday that only $71 million out of an estimated $600 million had been paid as of Tuesday. By dollar value, the House tally equals less than 12 percent of what's been claimed.

But, as of Friday, BP spokesman Scott Dean said the dollar value of payouts was $95 million.

Dean also said in an e-mail that the company has paid about half of the 60,000 claims made so far. In other words, the company has cut 30,000 checks.