A $4 million settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit against XL Foods following Canada’s largest ever beef recall.
A hearing will be held this fall in Edmonton to approve the settlement, said Linda Visser of Siskinds LLP in London, Ont. The law firm represents anyone harmed in connection with the recall of beef processed at XL Foods in Brooks, Alta., in 2012.
Those who wish to claim may fill out a form online and may be eligible for money if they did not receive a refund to cover the cost of beef that was thrown out. Awards are also available for those who became ill after eating beef contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7.
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Those filing claims need to provide a declaration that they bought beef and did not receive a refund. No proof of purchase is necessary, but they must provide further information if they want a larger settlement than the cost of the meat.
“We recognize people don’t keep their receipts on this particular thing,” Visser said.
“If we want to get money into people’s pockets, we need to have some form for the proof requirements.”
Those who became ill are also eligible.
“Somebody who got sick and has a minor claim can provide a declaration, but the amount they can get is capped,” she said.
People who suffered a more serious illness could be eligible for a larger award but must provide medical documentation.
It is not known how many people may file a claim, but several hundred have contacted the law firm, she added.
About 1.5 million pounds representing 1,800 products were recalled in Canada after the potentially fatal bacteria was found in samples.
A complete list of recalled products is available on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website at www.inspection.gc.ca.
A complete list of products recalled in the United States is available at www.fsis.usda.gov.
The class action alleges that XL Foods Inc. was negligent in the design and implementation of control, sampling and testing procedures and in managing the resulting product recall once the possible E. coli contamination was discovered.
For more information, call 800-461-6166, extension 2446, or visit www.classaction.ca/xlbeef
Contact barbara.duckworth@producer.com
