An Edmonton law firm has filed a $15 million class action lawsuit against a Hutterite colony that markets pork at the Meat Shop of Pine Haven.
James H. Brown & Associates filed the lawsuit after at least 36 people fell ill, 11 were hospitalized and one died of E. coli 0157:H7 food poisoning.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency traced the pork products to the Pine Haven Hutterite colony, 12 kilometres southeast of Wetaskiwin. It sells from a retail shop on the colony and also distributed to at least four retail outlets involved in the recall.
The lawsuit is on behalf of people who suffered damages as a result of buying or consuming pork products that may have been contaminated with E. coli, the firm said.
Among other things, the statement of claim alleges that Pine Haven was negligent with its quality control, monitoring, processing, storage, distribution and sale of the recalled pork.
It also states the company failed to recall all of its tainted pork immediately upon learning that customers were becoming sick.
