Blood, sweat and tears: last chance for Hepatitis C victims to receive compensation from class action settlement

Claimants urged to take immediate action by visiting www.HepCclassaction.ca

TORONTO, Jan. 31, 2018 /CNW/ - A decades-long fight to compensate thousands of Canadians who were infected with hepatitis C from receiving blood transfusions or blood products between January 1, 1986 and July 1, 1990 is entering the final chapter in the search for claimants who have yet to come forward.

The Courts have recently approved a compensation plan providing for approximately $40 million to be distributed to eligible victims who did not claim before the initial deadline ? the original settlement program was approved in 1999 ? due to matters beyond their control or where there is otherwise a reasonable explanation for their delay.

Anyone who believes they or a member of their family contracted hepatitis C from receiving blood or blood products in Canada during this period are encouraged to visit www.HepCclassaction.ca to find out more about the application process.

"Our goal is to ensure that all eligible victims are compensated," said Kathryn Podrebarac, one of the lawyers who sits on the Joint Committee which oversees the administration of the 1986-1990 Hepatitis C Settlement Agreement. "We will guide them on the steps they need to take to start the application process, because the sooner they do this, the sooner they can collect any compensation they may be entitled to."

This settlement provides compensation tailored to the victim's circumstances. Victims may be entitled to initial compensation ranging from $14,600 to $329,000, tax-free, and possibly additional compensation depending on their health and circumstances.

Hepatitis C is a progressive chronic disease that attacks liver cells and causes liver inflammation. A person infected with hepatitis C may not have symptoms for decades, and the virus may be transmitted from human to human.

The most common symptoms linked to the hepatitis C virus are:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• Dark urine
• Light stools
• Abdominal pains
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)

Anyone concerned about hepatitis C should consult their doctor.

Potential claimants are urged to visit www.HepCclassaction.ca or call 1-866-353-4003 for additional information about the application process and the compensation available. Claimants have until March 31, 2025 to begin the application process.

SOURCE Hepatitis C Class Action