Tentative $400,000 Settlement Reached in Pictou Landing First Nation MRI Class-Action Lawsuit
A tentative $400,000 settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit alleging that two Halifax radiologists performed non-consensual MRI scans on approximately 60 members of the Pictou Landing First Nation during a 2017 research project. The Nova Scotia Supreme Court is scheduled to hold an approval hearing on November 13.
A tentative settlement of $400,000 has been reached in a class-action lawsuit filed by members of the Pictou Landing First Nation in Nova Scotia against two Halifax radiologists, Robert Miller and Sharon Clarke. The agreement is subject to approval by the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, with a hearing scheduled for November 13.
The original lawsuit was filed in 2020 and certified as a class action in 2024. It alleges that approximately 60 band members who agreed to undergo MRI scans for a 2017 research project were subjected to additional "secret" MRI scans of their livers for a separate study without their consent.
The plaintiffs' claims against the defendants include invasion of privacy, acting recklessly, causing distress and anguish, negligence, unlawful imprisonment, and assault and battery. The assault and battery allegations stem from claims that participants were kept in the MRI machine longer than necessary. The lawsuit also accuses the defendants of failing to advise participants of serious health issues discovered during the scans, resulting in potential failure to diagnose those conditions, as well as loss of dignity and self-esteem.
Former chief Andrea Paul is identified in the case as one of the band members subjected to the MRIs. The statement of claim alleges she was singled out because she was Mi'kmaq.