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Victims are being re-victimized,’ says man whose wife died before receiving any compensation
A court is hearing arguments on how to allocate a $250-million surplus from the 1986-1990 hepatitis C settlement fund for victims of tainted blood. (Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters)
Canada’s tainted blood scandal continues to reverberate in court over the allocation of a $250-million surplus from an earlier settlement fund.
A court hearing is being held in Toronto this week to consider submissions on how to distribute millions of dollars sitting unused from a settlement fund for those infected with hepatitis C through blood transfusions between 1986 and 1990.
The fund was part of a compensation package offered by the federal government to those who received tainted blood during the time when the government knew there was a test to screen blood for the disease but wasn’t using it.
The first group of tainted blood victims and their relatives received compensation from a fund that was intended for 45,000 to 55,000 individuals. Since only 15,000 people signed up, the $250-million surplus exists.
- Hepatitis C sufferers haven’t received promised federal money
- Advocate for tainted blood victims, John Plater, dies
Lawyers for the federal government argue the money should be returned to federal coffers.
Those involved in the group action argue the original compensation they received wasn’t enough and the funds should be divided and handed out.
This week’s court hearing only covers those infected from 1986 to 1990.
Read more…http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/hepatitis-c-tainted-blood-compensation-1.3643730