Houston Personal Injury Lawyer - Chinese drywall

Chinese Drywall Link to Toxic effects Strengthen by Latest Report

Scott Kappes — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:50:55 GMT

Last week the suspected link between Chinese drywall and potential harmful effects on humans became stronger. On Monday the federal government released three preliminary reports that strengthen the case that Chinese drywall may be toxic to humans.

One report focused on the analysis of air samples taken from 41 homes known to contain Chinese-made drywall. These samples were compared to 10 homes that are not suspected to contain tainted drywall. In samples from affected homes researchers found consistent detections of hydrogen sulfide and formaldehyde. While the concentrations detected are below irritant levels, the CPSC says that it is possible that the synergistic effects of these and other compounds found in air samples could cause irritant effects.

Two additional studies examined corrosion found on metal components taken from homes containing Chinese drywall. These studies found a “strong association” between corrosion found on metals and high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide found in homes.

While the study was not intended to examine health effects, “we can say that the levels of pollutants we found, particularly the hydrogen sulfide and formaldehyde, could possibly contribute to some health problems that have been reported to the CPSC,” said Jack McCarthy, president of Environmental Health & Engineering Inc., who carried out the work.

Although the study increases suspicion that tainted drywall is responsible for some health effects reported by individuals living in affected homes, no causal relationship has been proven at this point.

It is suspected that some homeowners have yet to report problems due to fear that their insurers will drop their coverage; however, the CPSC is reminding consumers that reports can be made confidentially and are encouraging consumers to report problems.

Investigations of the tainted Chinese drywall will continue in the coming months.

If you suspect that your home may contain defective Chinese drywall we can help. You may be entitled to compensation to cover replacing the defective product in addition to compensation for possible health effects that may have been caused by Chinese drywall.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

Florida’s Lt. Governor is Suing for Chinese Drywall Damages

Scott Kappes — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:50:25 GMT

The Chinese drywall debacle is gaining more momentum each and every day. Thousands of homeowners in Florida and across the nation are being affected by toxic drywall, and Monday the fight got a new unsuspected poster boy, Florida’s own Lt. Governor Jeffrey Kottkamp. Kottkamp and his wife have filed a federal lawsuit seeking over $75,000 in damages resulting from toxic drywall in their home. See the News-Press story here.

The suit alleges that defective Chinese drywall has caused the Lt. Governor’s air conditioning coils and internal wiring to become corroded and family members have suffered numerous physical ailments.

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission has received over 1,200 complaints in from two dozen states to date, and this number is expected to continue to increase in coming months.

The first of thousands of Chinese drywall lawsuits are expected to hit the court room early next year, but there may be it may be much longer before all of the claims have been settled or had their day in court.

The Law Firm of Reich & Binstock represents homeowners affected by Chinese drywall nationwide. If you suspect that your home may contain toxic Chinese drywall please contact us for a free claim evaluation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

One Developer is Replacing Chinese Drywall in Homes They Built

Scott Kappes — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:47:28 GMT

A very interesting Chinese drywall story aired last night on ABC’s Norfolk, Virginia affiliate (WVEC). According to the report, some local homeowners are having their prayers answered by the developer that built their homes with allegedly defective Chinese drywall.

Dragas Company was one of the only Virginia developers that admitted they had built homes using the allegedly defective Chinese import, and now they are doing something about it.

Dragas is replacing the drywall in at least 70 homes that they have been confirmed to contain Chinese drywall.

Tom Ridenhour lives in a Dragas townhome community in Greenbrier. He says the first clue he had about a problem in his home was when the air conditioner failed three years ago.

In March he learned that his new townhome and 70 other in their neighborhood were built with defective Chinese drywall. In April, his developer, Dragas Company, agreed to replace the drywall in his home.

“They stripped this house right down to the studs and the concrete floors. They replaced all of the light switches and all the receptacles and all the lighting fixtures, replaced the air conditioning ducting, the ceiling insulation, new carpet, drywall, everything,” said Ridenhour.

Ridenhour is pleased with the action taken by his developer and feels for the thousands of homeowners who have not seen the same type of response from their builders.

Dragas Company is working in phases to have all 70 of their affected homes in the neighborhood completely repaired by early 2010, a scenario that thousands of affected homeowners throughout the United States can only dream of at this point.

Dragas Company is paying for the repairs out of their own pocket and working through the legal system to obtain compensation for their expenses.

Watch the broadcast video here.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

Company Claims to Have Effective Chinese Drywall Remedy

Scott Kappes — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:59:39 GMT

According to a report from the news-press a New York-based company claims that they have found a quick, permanent and cheap way to rid affected homes of defective Chinese drywall.

Sabre Technical Services held a press conference this morning to announce the results of a process they began testing on a home with Chinese drywall back in June. The process involves pumping the affected homes full of chlorine dioxide gas, which Sabre claims rids the structure of sulfur compounds in the air, drywall and other parts of the structure.

Sabre claims that their process was a success and can provide a much cheaper yet still very effective alternative to stripping homes of the allegedly defective product and starting over. If this holds to be true it could have a huge impact on the current Chinese drywall crisis currently facing thousands of homeowners in two dozen states.

Sabre’s method for combating the culprit would probably cost between $30,000 and $40,000 for a typical three bedroom home, but this would be a far cry from the six figure cost of removing and replacing the defective material.

Florida state representative and home builder Gary Aubuchon, who attended this morning’s press conference, says that he is very interested in the process but would have to see a warranty agreement guaranteeing the work before he would consider contracting Sabre to perform any work.

While it is too soon to tell definitively tell whether the process employed by Sabre is truly a permanent and effective solution to rid homes of the potentially harmful toxins being emitted from Chinese drywall, it certainly is a breath of fresh air in a crisis that is getting more monumental each and every day.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

Chinese Drywall Showing Up in Foreclosed Homes for Sale

Scott Kappes — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:09:14 GMT

Over the past several months the news of homes infected with Chinese drywall has swept across the nation. The Consumer Products Safety Commission has received complaints of Chinese drywall in at least 21 states and dozens of lawsuits have been filed against home builders and manufacturers of the allegedly defective product. For the first time we are now starting to see foreclosed homes containing drywall come onto the Florida home market.

Homes containing Chinese drywall may be available for substantially discounted price that may be enticing to some home buyers; however, it is important for potential buys to take in to account the costs of renovating a home that contains Chinese drywall.

A Wink news report features a four bedroom, two bath, never-lived-in home selling for just $19,800. While this may sound like a steal, but with the extensive repairs that will need to be made to the home due to the presence of Chinese drywall it may actually not be a bad investment for some buyers.

Popular Florida home builder Lennar recently confirmed that they were aware of about 400 of their homes that contain Chinese drywall.

Homeowners that suspect their home may contain Chinese drywall should contact a qualified attorney for a free consultation and explanation of their legal options.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

Another Florida Builder Confirms Chinese Drywall in 200 Homes

Scott Kappes — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:04:41 GMT

The Bonita Springs based WCI Communities has confirmed that they built at least 200 homes with potential dangerous and defective Chinese-made drywall.

WCI Communities is currently operating Chapter 11 bankruptcy and expects to face about $40 million in claims related to defective drywall. WCI has agreed to set up a trust to help homeowners affected by Chinese drywall as part of their reorganization plan.

Earlier this month the popular home builder Lennar confirmed that they built about 400 Florida homes using the allegedly defective product.

Homeowners of homes fitted with Chinese drywall have seen extensive damage to electrical components in their homes caused by foul sulfurous gases emitted from the allegedly defective drywall. Several homeowners have also complained of headaches, difficulty breathing other potentially dangerous health problems.

The EPA and the state health official have conducted numerous tests to determine the potential risks associated with Chinese drywall; however, no conclusive data is yet available.

Homeowners who suspect their home may contain defective Chinese drywall should contact an experienced product liability attorney for a free consultation and an explanation of their legal rights concerning a potential claim.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

Latest Updates on Chinese Drywall Lawsuits

Scott Kappes — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:47:22 GMT

There is no shortage of op-eds, scholarly articles, and angry jeremiads bemoaning America’s consumerist culture. At the moment it appears that Americans make their purchasing decisions based on three prime factors. These are, in no particular order, convenience, price, and quality. Actually, come to think of it, that is the proper order, except that English grammar lacks a convenient method to indicate just how large a gap exists between price and quality. Perhaps the best way to demonstrate just how uninterested the American people are in quality is to examine production results from the world’s lowest cost provider, China.

Over the last several decades, China has gradually become the world’s manufacturing power house, due mainly to its exceedingly low labor costs. Today, it is nearly impossible to purchase a garment, toy, or piece of electronic equipment made anywhere else. It has also become nearly impossible to turn around without hearing reports of yet another poisoned food product from China. Let’s just take a quick stroll through what China hath wrought, and let’s see what we find.

In 2007 alone, the FDA discovered, in the US, over 1000 shipments of poisoned: apples, mushrooms, dietary supplements, scallops, and sardines. Also, who can forget the poisoned pet food shipments, poisonous toothpaste, or the tiny matter of grossly unsafe shipments of blood-thinner heparin. Though, to be fair, the Chinese government has attempted to resolve these problems, mostly by executing the head of China’s Food and Drug Administration.

So, why am I reciting this sad litany of woes? I mean, it’s not as though Chinese products are sneaking around at night, poisoning your family and destroying the fabric of your home. Or are they? As it happens, yes.

It now appears that between 2004 and 2008, in the neighborhood of 540 million pounds of defective Chinese drywall entered the United States. That’s enough material to construct 100,000 homes, according to the Associated press. The material appears to give off foul sulfur-based gases which may be harmful to humans and corrosive to plumbing, wiring, and other metal home furnishings. These effects have appeared most rapidly in the Southeast, where high temperatures and humidity exacerbate the problem. However, homes in cooler, drier climes may not be immune to toxic effects, they may simply take years to appear.

Since this problem was discovered, several class action law suits have been filed, like this one against the importers of the Chinese drywall, and this one against homebuilder Lennar. At least one involved company, WCI Communities Inc., has agreed, as part of a bankruptcy restructuring, to establish a multi-million dollar trust fund to cover drywall claims. As with all class actions, if you are a potential member of the class you need not consent in advance to be included. Generally, these kinds of suits involve a public notification, and members of a class must opt out if they wish. If you fail to opt out of a class you will generally be bound by the terms of any settlement agreement. Should your health be affected later on, you will have lost the ability to pursue your own legal action.

Owners of homes constructed after 2003, should consult a qualified attorney to determine whether they are part of a class, and whether joining a particular suit is in their best interests. This is doubly true for those homeowners who have already begun to detect the odors, corrosion, and other side effects of the tainted drywall.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

Lennar Confirms 400 Cases of Chinese Drywall in Florida

Scott Kappes — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:08:39 GMT

One of the nation’s largest builders, Lennar Corp; has confirmed that they are aware of about 400 Lennar-built Florida homes that were built using defective Chinese drywall. Lennar says that most of the affected homes were built in 2006 and 2007 and make up about two percent of the total Florida homes delivered by the builder.

Lennar claims that they have set aside almost $40 million in warranty reserves to to pay for damages caused by the defective drywall and replace the inferior product.

As of July 10 Lennar said they were aware of 41 lawsuits filed in Florida state court as and two federal class actions filed by homeowners who have been affected by the Chinese drywall.

Lennar has moved to stop all 41 state court actions, allowing builders to make repairs to homes fitted with Chinese drywall. They have also filed a lawsuit in a Florida Circuit Court against the entire supply chain responsible for procuring and producing the defective Chinese drywall.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

Complaints About Chinese Drywall Surface in 21 States

Scott Kappes — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:47:08 GMT

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission says that they have now received complaints from homeowners in 21 states over problems associated with defective Chinese drywall. The complaints claim that the Chinese-made drywall emits a sulfurous smell and that can corrode metal components in the home. Many homeowners also claim that the noxious emissions have caused physical ailments to the inhabitants of affected homes.

New evidence from a report to Congress dated July 6 suggests that corrosion caused by Chinese drywall may be responsible for electrical fires in some cases; however, this has not been confirmed.

According to the report, commission engineers will evaluate how much electrical wiring corrosion has occurred based on samples from affected homes. They also are looking at smoke detectors and sprinkler systems to see if they are damaged.

The CPSC latest confirmed number of imported Chinese drywall for 2006 is just over 5.5 million sheets, with additional shipments still being evaluated.

If you believe that your home may contain Chinese drywall please contact us today for a free consultation and potential claim evaluation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

Concern Over Chinese Drywall Forcing Homeowners Into Difficult Position

Scott Kappes — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:08:24 GMT

A growing group of homeowners in at least 13 states are now facing the risk of foreclosure or paying for alternate living arrangements. These homeowners are not victims of a slumping economy, but of Chinese-made drywall that many believe is making them sick.

Chinese drywall has been a hot topic of conversation in recent months as more and more homeowners have found the defective and potentially dangerous product in their homes. Most of the homes affected by defective Chinese drywall are in Florida; however, reports of contaminated drywall as far north as Canada have been recently reported.

The Chinese drywall which is now the subject of numerous scientific studies contains corrosive gasses that is responsible for causing extensive damage to air conditioners and internal wiring throughout affected homes as well as possible respiratory ailments.

Some homeowners believe that they are being put in a position to choose between their health and keeping their homes.

"Families are being forced to make health decisions based on financial consideration, and that is fundamentally flawed," said Sherri Rojhani, a homeowner in Parkland, Florida. "We shouldn't be in a position to stay in a home, based on our health," she said.

While a number of government agencies are investigating the health effects of the defective drywall the results are still some time off.

It is estimated that more than 30,000 homes could have be fitted with the defective imported drywall in some fashion or another. It appears that there is no quick way repair the defective drywall and we could be seeing the effects of this dangerous and defective product for years to come.

While there has been no conclusive evidence offered that the defective drywall may lead to an increased occurrence of respiratory ailments, it does not take much deduction to conclude that if fumes being emitted from the drywall are toxic enough to corrode metal, that these same fumes could possibly be detrimental to the human respiratory system.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes