According to a Miami Herald article, a new program to repair homes built with “tainted drywall made by a major Chinese manufacturer is progressing well and will likely expand,” said U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon. This test program is meant to replace the material which gives off a noxious odor and can have other serious side effects.
According to the Herald, “The drywall in question has been linked to corrosion of wiring, air conditioning units, computers, doorknobs and jewelry, along with possible health effects. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has said preliminary studies have found a possible link between throat, nose and lung irritation and high levels of hydrogen sulfide gas emitted from the wallboard, coupled with formaldehyde, which is commonly found in new houses.”
The Herald reports that this tests program has been initiated to “repair up to 300 homes in Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi made with drywall made by Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co.” Fallon, who “presides over consolidated claims against Chinese companies,” recently reported the pilot program’s success in a court hearing on the lawsuits in state and federal courts involving Chinese drywall makers, according to the Herald.
The article goes on to report that “Thousands of homeowners, mostly in Florida, Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana have reported problems with the Chinese-made drywall, which was imported in large quantities during the housing boom and after a string of Gulf Coast hurricanes.”
The article explains that Knauf and the plaintiffs’ lawyers announced in October that they had “reached a deal to fix homes that had been made with Knauf drywall. Knauf agreed to replace drywall, wiring, fire and alarm systems, and fixtures in damaged homes.” According to the Herald, layers say that “between 2,000 to 3,000 homes built with Knauf’s drywall might be fixed under the deal if the pilot program is successful.”
According to the news article, a lawyer for Knauf “said companies throughout the supply chain – suppliers, builders, insurers and others – are agreeing to pay shares of the cost of fixing homes. He said 80 homes have been inspected and will undergo repairs soon.”
However, the Herald reports that “the deal does nothing for thousands of other homeowners with drywall made by other Chinese companies. Lawyers say there could be as many as 10,000 other homeowners whose homes contain drywall made by other companies that have largely ignored lawsuits filed in U.S. courts.”
According to the Miami Herald, Fallon has already “ruled in favor of plaintiffs and ordered extensive remediation in Chinese-drywall tainted homes.”
The Herald article states that in April, Fallon “awarded $2.6 million to seven Virginia families whose homes had been ruined by drywall made by another Chinese manufacturer.” Nevertheless, those rulings have thus far only “covered property damage and haven’t considered possible health problems.”
If you or a loved one have experienced health issues or home problems caused by toxic Chinese drywall, contact Newsome Law Firm and fill out a case evaluation form today. Our team of attorneys has experience specific to complications associated with Chinese drywall. Not only can they give you the legal guidance you need, they can help you get the compensation you deserve.
References:
Burdeau, Cain. (December 2, 2010) “Deal to fix homes with Chinese drywall going well.” Retrieved on December 6, 2010 from The Miami Herald.