Lac-Mgantic settlement fund payment contested

About 400 people are contesting the amount of money they're getting for moral damages from the $460-million Lac-Mgantic victim and creditor settlement fund.

The court-appointed monitor overseeing the distribution of funds said today roughly 10 per cent of the 4,200 people who received cheques were not happy with their portion.

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Andrew Adessky says his firm, Richter, will begin responding to creditors within the next couple of weeks, adding that some of the challenges are valid and others are not.

Creditors received 50 per cent of their moral damage claims, with the remaining cash to be distributed at a later time.

Adessky said a total of about $50 million has been set aside for moral damages after a train carrying crude oil derailed in Lac-Mgantic, Que., in 2013, killing 47 people and destroying part of the downtown core.

Roughly $113 million has also been distributed to those who made wrongful death claims.

About $300 million is left in the settlement fund, which will be distributed to the provincial government, the town of Lac-Mgantic and other creditors who made economicand insurance-related claims.