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Officials are investigating claims that Chinese-made drywall is posing health risks to thousands of American consumers. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, investigations are currently underway in several Florida homes. To date, the Florida Health Department has received more than 140 complaints of the Chinese-made drywall emitting smelly, corrosive gases that have caused illnesses and damage to hundreds of homes.

Chinese Drywall May Pose Health Risks

The Florida Health Department is investigating the drywall for health risks; however, according to several attorneys, Florida is not the only state to be affected. Several defective Chinese drywall lawsuits are already underway, claiming the defective drywall has caused problems in Florida, Louisiana and Alabama, and potentially thousands of other homes across the U.S.

Affected individuals are complaining of health problems, including:

• Headaches
• Sore throats
• Dizziness

In addition to the health risks associated with the defective drywall, affected families are also complaining of damages to their homes including destruction of air conditioning units and other major household systems and electronics.

Defective Drywall Contaminated with Toxic Sulfur

According to reports, the drywall allegedly contains toxic levels of sulfur, which omits a gas that smells like rotten eggs and results in the corrosion of pipes and wires.

Defective Drywall May Affect 50,000 Homes

According to reports, the claims surrounding the defective drywall involve homes that were either built or renovated in 2005 or 2006 following the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. According to reports, post-hurricane reconstruction lead to a shortage of drywall and other building materials, forcing homebuilders to turn to Chinese imports.

Based on reports collected by Michael Foreman, head of construction consulting from Foreman & Associates in Sarasota, Florida, he estimates that that in 2006 and the first couple months of 2007, the U.S. imported enough Chinese drywall to build 50,000 2,000 square-foot homes. Of the imported drywall, Florida reportedly took in enough to build 30,000 homes that size. The import records from 2004 and 2005 have not yet been released, says Foreman.

Defective Drywall Class Actions Lawsuits

Class action lawsuits involving the Chinese-made drywall are already underway. Two attorneys who have filed defective drywall class action lawsuits have stated that the shipping records show that thousands of American homes, mainly in Florida, could potentially contain the defective drywall.

Class Action Filed in Alabama

Mitchell Co., an Alabama-based homebuilder filed a class action lawsuit alleging that 42 houses it built contained the Chinese defective drywall. Of the contaminated houses, 32 were built in Alabama and eight in Florida. This is not the only class action of its kind.

The class actions and individual lawsuits are seeking compensation for affected families. They are seeking out compensation for medical and reconstruction expenses.

(Source: CNN)

If you or a loved one has been affected by the defective drywall, or if you think you may have it in your home, you may be eligible to seek compensation through filing a personal injury lawsuit or joining a defective drywall class action. For more information, contact us today and we will connect you with an experienced attorney for defective products.