Two B.C. residents are suing beef producer XL Foods Inc. after they ate contaminated meat and became infected with the E. coli bacteria.
E. coli O157 was first discovered in XL Foods beef that was processed at a plant in Brooks, Alta., by U.S. officials on Sept. 3. A recall of ground beef was issued Sept. 16 and has been expanded many times since — most recently on Tuesday night.
The recall involves more than 1,800 products and 33 retail chains across Canada.
On Oct. 12, Vancouver’s Erin Thornton filed a notice of civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court. The suit, which names XL and its owner Nilsson Bros. Inc., was filed under the Class Proceedings Act on behalf of herself and others who purchased and/or consumed recalled beef.
In the claim, Thornton says she purchased and consumed affected ground beef before hearing about the recall and became ill. She spent four days in the hospital.
Thornton alleges that XL Foods was negligent and did not meet industry standards. She says both defendants breached disclosure obligations and mismanaged the recall.
“The defendants’ conduct was high-handed, outrageous, reckless, wanton, entirely without care, deliberate, callous, disgraceful, wilful, in contumelious disregard of the rights of the plaintiff and the rights of others who are similarly situated, and as such renders the defendants liable to pay aggravated, exemplary and punitive damages,” the claim states.
On Tuesday, Nanaimo’s Sharon Farmer filed a lawsuit on behalf of her 15-year-old son Cody.
In the claim, Farmer alleges that on Sept. 16 she purchased lean ground sirloin that had been manufactured at the XL plant, which Cody prepared and ate the same day.
Cody contracted E. coli poisoning, which resulted in inflamed bowel, internal bleeding, surgery, severe abdominal cramping, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, fear and mental distress, pain and suffering, loss of dignity and emotional upset.
The suit alleges that XL was negligent and failed in its duty to recall and refrain from manufacturing and distributing beef it knew or ought to have known was defective. It also alleges that testing, sampling and monitoring were not properly carried out...
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Source: Argentine Beef Packers S.A.
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