Mar
02, 2009 09:15 ET
“Proposed Maple Leaf
Foods Settlement Inadequate”–Victim A. Laughren
Source of Article: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Collette-Parsons-Law-Firm-955946.html
“Proposed Maple Leaf Foods Settlement Inadequate” – Says
Contaminated Food Victim, Arlene Laughren
Attention: Assignment Editor, City Editor, Food/Beverage Editor, Health/Medical
Editor, News Editor
VANCOUVER / BRITISH COLUMBIA / NEWS RELEASE--(Marketwire
- March 2, 2009) - Arlene Laughren is the proposed
representative plaintiff in a class action commenced in Vancouver against
Maple Leaf foods by the law firm, Collette Parsons. Ms. Laughren
suffered brain damage after consuming Maple Leaf food products contaminated
by the Listeria bacteria during July 2008. The proposed class Ms. Laughren seeks to represent includes all British Columbia residents affected by Maple Leaf food
products contaminated with the Listeria bacteria, as well as non-residents
who were affected by the contaminated food and wish to opt in to the British Columbia class
action.
Similar
class actions were commenced across Canada
including two other actions in British
Columbia. A consortium of law firms acting in all
of the class actions in Canada,
excluding Ms Laughren's action, has tentatively
negotiated a maximum $27 million settlement with Maple Leaf Foods. Between
March 5, 2009 and March 20, 2009 approval of the maximum $27 million
settlement is being sought in the courts of Ontario,
Saskatchewan, and Quebec, by the consortium on behalf of all
persons affected by the Maple Leaf Listeria outbreak. The application in Ontario seeks to include the claims of residents of Alberta, British Columbia,
and Ontario.
If approved in Ontario, Saskatchewan,
and Quebec,
the settlement would dispose of the claims of everyone affected by
contaminated Maple Leaf food products for $25 million with an additional $2
million to be contributed if the $25 million is not adequate to satisfy the
claims of all the victims. If approved, Maple Leaf Foods will not have to
contribute any further funds to pay for the injuries caused by the Listeria
outbreak.
Today
is the deadline for filing an objection to the proposed settlement
application in Ontario and Ms. Laughren is filing
an objection to the proposed settlement, and the inclusion of BC residents in
the Ontario class action, because she is unaware of data supporting the contention
that the proposed pool of money will be adequate to compensate all class
members injured by the contaminated food.
"I
am objecting to the settlement because no information has been provided to
allow people injured by the contaminated food to determine whether the
proposed settlement is large enough to compensate the thousands of victims
affected across Canada,"
explained Ms. Laughren.
Ms. Laughren's lawyer, Guy Collette, stated, "The
proposed settlement agreement provides that any damages paid by Maple Leaf
Foods to claimants who opt out of the class action will reduce the proposed
$27 million class action settlement by an equivalent amount. Therefore,
individuals injured by Maple Leaf's contaminated products may only receive
full compensation if they opt out of the proposed class settlement."
IN: FOOD, HEALTH, JUSTICE, POLITICS, SOCIAL
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