If you have been injured or suffered financial or medical losses because of toxic mold, you might be able to recover some of your losses through the courts.
A Toxic Mold Nightmare
In 2001, Renee and Paul Haynes began building their dream home in Oregon City, OR because they needed more space for their two toddler sons. The couple did much of the construction work themselves to save money, but they paid to have the building professionally framed. The framing was done in December, Oregon’s wettest month.
The family moved into their new home in March, and almost immediately, all began to feel sick. Four months after they moved in, everyone in the family was ill: the children had diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and breathing problems. Renee suffered from dizziness and numbness. While working around the house, Paul Haynes accidentally knocked a hole in the wall and realized the insides of their walls were soaking wet. Tests confirmed that the walls were full of toxic mold. Three years later, a jury awarded them $489,000 in damages from their building contractor, but by then, both boys had suffered permanent neurological damage. The dream home was deemed uninhabitable and had to be burned down.
Successful Toxic Mold Litigation
Many toxic mold victims have successfully sued their insurance companies, landlords, builders, and employers for losses they suffered due to toxic mold:
- Television celebrity Ed McMahon agreed to a settlement of $7.2 million after suing his insurance carrier for what the suit called ineffective cleanup after a water pipe burst. McMahon said the resultant toxic mold made him and his wife ill and contributed to the death of the couple’s dog.
- Three people with disabilities in Baltimore, MD were awarded $375,000 from their landlord, the Housing Authority of Baltimore City. A jury ruled the housing authority failed to adequately repair roof leaks and plumbing problems that led to toxic mold infestation in one of their buildings.
- A judge awarded $270,000 to renters in a St. Mary’s County, MD apartment complex, saying their landlord had failed to respond to tenant complaints about water problems and had failed to maintain a safe living environment. The suit contended that plumbing problems had led to water damage and toxic mold, causing several tenants to become ill and require hospitalization.
- Twelve immigrant families in Alameda County, CA were awarded $1.3 million after suing their landlord for failing to eradicate toxic mold spawned by roof leaks in their apartment building. The tenants suit claimed they suffered from chronic sinus and upper respiratory problems because of the mold.
- A jury awarded two Delaware women $1.04 million for the asthma attacks they suffered when their landlord failed to repair leaks, resulting in toxic mold. A higher court upheld the award.
- A Texas homeowner received $4 million after a judge found his insurance carrier had acted in an unfair, fraudulent, and deceptive manner when evaluating for mold.
- A California homeowner won $3 million from a judge after his insurance carrier refused to honor his claim for mold damages.
Many employees have successfully sued their employers, which have included government agencies and school districts, because of illnesses they suffered from working in mold-contaminated areas. Thousands of lawsuits concerning toxic mold are pending in the courts nationwide. The number of suits grows exponentially every year as awareness grows about the problems of toxic mold.
This article contains information about mold lawsuits but is not intended as a substitute for qualified legal advice. If you would like to be put in touch with an attorney who has experience in handling mold-related claims, please fill out the form on this page to contact us for a referral.
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