Barrios, Kingsdorf & Casteix is taking a leading role in the Chinese Drywall litigation against the manufacturers, distributors, builders and suppliers of Chinese drywall. Dawn Barrios was appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the Chinese-Manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2047. Bruce Kingsdorf and Dawn Barrios have been selected to be on the trial team in the MDL. Our firm would be happy to discuss your case with you.
The Problem with Chinese Drywall:
The United States experienced a drywall shortage between 2004 and 2006 due in part to the housing boom and hurricane reconstruction efforts. In order to meet drywall demands, many companies imported drywall from China. Although Chinese drywall imports have been available since the early 1990s, the height of the imports took place during that two year period.After the installation of Chinese drywall, homeowners began to notice a sulphur odor in their homes, and started to report health issues ranging from headaches and eye irritation to nosebleeds and respiratory problems. These problems seemed to exist only when they were in their homes. Homeowners also began to notice that jewelry, door knobs, appliances, air conditioning coils, copper wiring and other metals were beginning to tarnish and corrode. Items that were meant to last decades were failing after only a year or two. The culprit was determined to be excessive levels of sulfide fumes off-gassed from Chinese drywall.
The problems arising from exposure to the Chinese drywall have forced many families to leave their homes. In serious cases, exposure to dangerous toxins like sulfide off- gassed by the Chinese drywall can lead to extreme irritation, unconsciousness, respiratory paralysis and even death. Children, the elderly and those with pre-existing respiratory problems or chemical sensitivities are most at risk. Additionally, homeowners are concerned about the effect that Chinese drywall has on the value of their homes (with or without remediation). Many victims have spent thousands of dollars trying to fix the damage caused by the Chinese drywall fumes.
States Most Affected by Chinese Drywall:
Although many states have been affected, Florida was impacted the most. Louisiana was the second highest impacted state with over 60 million pounds of Chinese drywall being imported through the Port of New Orleans. Other states that were significantly affected include California, Mississippi, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, Georgia, Washington, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
How to Determine if You Have Chinese Drywall in Your Home:
- Was drywall installed in your home between 2004-2006 (or just before or after these dates)?
- Have you noticed a strange odor in your home ( similar to spent fireworks or a rotten egg)?
- Are the words “CHINA”, “KNAUF” and/or “C36” printed in black or red letters on the back of the drywall boards?
- Have you had any major appliances- air conditioners, refrigerators, stoves, microwave ovens- stop functioning or require repeated repairs?
- Have you noticed a blackening or tarnish on electrical receptacles, wiring, air conditioning coils or other metals in your home?
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you may have toxic Chinese drywall in your home and you may be eligible to file a lawsuit.
The first Chinese Drywall trial on the proper procedure and protocol for remediation begins on Friday, February 19 with expected ruling in mid March. there are seven plaintiffs from Virginia with varying degrees of Chinese Drywall in their homes. Dawn M. Barrios and Bruce S. Kingsdorf are on trial team.
For more information, read the CPSC report on how to tell if you have Chinese Drywall.
