Mold Issues in the News

A U.S. official deemed home mold exposure ". . . a public health emergency," after a recent meeting conducted by the Surgeon General of the United States (which included an Institute of Medicine presentation). However, that viewpoint, expressed by Mr. Joel Segal, Public Affairs Director for the office of Congressman John Conyers (D-Mich), was not influenced by the meeting, but by the public.

Mr. Segal stood and spoke at one point during the conference to take issue with some of the proceedings: "The Institute of Medicine study does not reflect what we are seeing in calls to my office," Segal said. "We are receiving complaints from people who have experienced lung and organ damage, permanent neurological problems and fatigue symptoms that are functionally disabling after mold exposures in their homes. We've had more calls on this than any other single issue, including universal health care--since sponsoring HR 1268, we have been receiving at least ten calls per day for the last three years from victims who are displaced, calling from motels, sick and living in cars."

When contacted after the event, Segal went on to state, "...We need to sponsor a multi-agency, non-partisan task force to study the human health and economic impacts of this. At this point, it's not an exaggeration to say that this is a public health emergency."

The Institute of Medicine study apparently only investigated allergic and non-infectious respiratory symptoms of fungal exposure, and never included an examination of other serious symptoms. The complete article can be seen by following this link. (Article date: January 27, 2005)

Apartment complex tenants' lawsuit, yielding a $3.8 million settlement, cites mold contamination as one of the many factors in their dwelling crisis in Hayward, CA. Unrepaired structural and plumbing defects contributed to the unchecked mold growth, and resulted in occupant ailments of asthma, upper respiratory problems, skin problems, headaches, and sinus difficulties.

In an honest attempt to exercise "due diligence", thus avoiding unnecessary litigation, responsible property owners/managers can employ reasonable efforts to ensure that their structures meet humanitarian and legal standards of habitability. If you have recently made repairs following an unforeseen plumbing or roof leak, ask your customer service representative about our affordable investigative mold survey. Valued occupants are encouraged to extend their lease when you’re empowered with the reliable assessment results.

News of the lawsuit settlement is provided by the San Francisco Chronicle, and the article can be seen at their Web site. (Article date: Tuesday, June 22, 2004)

A mold wrongful death case decided by mold testing, mold inspection, and documented structural maintenance, is believed to be the first trial of its kind in the United States. A 60 year-old grandmother and her two year-old grandson were the plaintiffs in the suit against their mobile home seller and park owner. Mold inspection and mold testing determined that mold levels inside the mobile home were similar to outdoor mold levels. There was also a record of reasonable dwelling repairs both before and after the family took up residence. The plaintiff pathologist's findings (that the cause of the grandmother's death was pulmonary fungal infection) were successfully refuted, but available news articles do not explain how. Fortunately, it was shown that the grandson was not seriously injured.

The full text of the news article, published by the successful defense attorneys' firm, can by following this link. (Article date: February 20, 2004.)