By James Nye PUBLISHED: 12:37 EST, 25 February 2013 | UPDATED: 08:46 EST, 26 February 2013 The blockbuster BP oil spill trial opened today with a scathing attack on the poor safety standards which led to the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. Billions are at stake in the New Orleans courtroom where a federal judge is tasked with determining how much the British oil giant and its subcontractors should pay for the devastating blast and subsequent oil spill at the Deepwater Horizon rig in April 2010. BP has said it already has racked up more than $24 billion in spill-related expenses and has estimated it will pay a total of $42 billion to fully resolve its liability for the disaster that killed 11 workers and spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
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Billions are at stake in the New Orleans courtroom in damages trial which began today
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US prosecutors are determined to prove that gross negligence caused the April 20, 2010 blast that killed 11 workers and sank the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon rig
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BP is equally determined to avoid a finding of gross negligence, which would drastically increase its environmental fines to as much as $17 billion
Scientists warn that the spill's full effect on the @placeholder food chain may not be known for years.