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Maple Leaf Foods Class Action Settlement

YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS TO COMPENSATION IN THIS SETTLEMENT
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS DURATION OF HARM MEDICAL PROOF PROJECTED PAYMENT
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS
consistent with listeriosis, after consuming 		24 to less than 48 hours NONE $750.00
More than 48 hours YES $3,000.00 to $125,000.00, plus certain additional amounts
PSYCHOLOGICAL
trauma only, after consuming		 Onset after August 17, 2008 YES $2,000.00 to $17,500.00, plus certain additional amounts
If you had physical symptoms but never visited a doctor or hospital or clinic, you may claim at Level 1 as this is the only level that does not require medical evidence to support your claim.

PAYMENTS: once ALL claims, arbitrations and appeals have been completed, the Administrator must report to the Courts on the proposed total amounts payable to ALL approved claimants and no money shall be paid by cheque to anyone until Court approval.


In August 2008, Maple Leaf foods announced a massive recall of 243 types of ready-to-eat meat products supplied to stores, restaurants and cafeterias. These products were recalled because of concerns of a link between the products and an outbreak of listeriosis. Symptoms of listeriosis include flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, headache, constipation and persistent fever, which usually appear within 1 to 30 days and up to 60 days after consuming contaminated food.

Class actions were commenced in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. A Canada-wide proposed Settlement has been reached and will be subject to Court approval in Saskatchewan, Quebec and Ontario in March 2009. The Settlement provides that the defendants will pay between $25 and 27 million in full and final settlement of all claims, applicable taxes, class counsel fees and expenses, subrogation claims by provincial health insurers, trustee fees and expenses, arbitration fees and expenses and claim administration fees and expenses.

Payments made according to a Compensation Grid shall be made to an approved claimant based on his/her damages including personal or bodily injury, pain and suffering and special damages. Subrogated provincial insurer payments may also be paid, if appropriate. People who should register a claim under this Settlement include:

All persons who consumed or purchased certain food products manufactured, processed or packaged by Maple Leaf Foods Inc. and Maple Leaf Consumer Foods Inc. between January 1, 2008 and August 31, 2008, inclusive and their family members, excluding persons and corporations who purchased those food products for resale purposes.

You, the minor or the Estate of the deceased person that you represent may be eligible to be paid money from the settlement trust fund, established for the benefit of a pre-determined and Court approved class of people as defined above, known as "Class Members".

We recommend that you take a few minutes to read the "Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ" section.

YOUR OPTIONS IN THIS SETTLEMENT
1. SUBMIT A CLAIM FORM The only way to get a payment.
2. DO NOTHING Get no payment. Give up your rights.

PAYMENTS: once ALL claims, arbitrations and appeals have been completed, the Administrator must report to the Courts on the proposed total amounts payable to ALL approved claimants and no money shall be paid by cheque to anyone until Court approval.

PROCESSING: claims are still being processed. If you successfully filed a claim, you will receive a Decision Letter from the Administrator by regular mail in the summer of 2010.

TIMING: higher level claims require medical evidence and some hospitals have been slow to deliver what is needed. Since the Courts (SK, ON, QC) must approve all payments, we are unable to advise with certainty about when cheques will be mailed. We are presently aiming for early 2011.

The deadline for making a claim expired on November 2, 2009. If you failed to successfully make a claim before this date, payment cannot be made to you or any person that you represent no exceptions.