Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Maple Leaf victims finally paid


The insurance company handling claims arising from the food poisoning by Listeria monocytogenes in Maple Leaf cold cuts in 2008 has finally mailed cheques to the victims.

Maple Leaf announced a $25-million settlement soon after the disastrous outbreak that resulted in 23 deaths and hundreds of serious illnesses.

The settlement cheques have been reduced to 93.4 per cent of the amounts offered in the original settlement announcement; the reduction is in line with a court order.

The payouts originally announced were $750 for people who were ill for between 24 and 48 hours; $3,000 to $125,000 for those who were ill for more than 48 hours and can furnish medical evidence;, and $2,000 to $17,500 for psychological trauma for those felled after Aug. 18.

Maple Leaf recalled 243 types of cold cuts and closed the plant on Barton Road in Toronto for months while an investigation and thorough cleaning and sanitation were done several times.

There were class-action lawsuits filed in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec and the single settlement agreement covers all of them.