The damage suffered from exposure to toxic mold can be costly in human suffering and for the owner of the property, it can mean facing serious legal liability. It is reported that over twenty-five percent of all homes in the United States contain some degree of toxic mold. Black mold is among the most feared and dangerous of molds. Currently, there are over one hundred strains of toxic mold that can cause severe health problems.
Mold is drawn to moisture, and grows on tiles, in carpeting, insulation and in the wood. Molds can damage a building's fixtures, content and structure, rendering it uninhabitable. Worse still are the number of people every year who are exposed to toxic mold and who suffer from a wide range of symptoms, such as burning eyes, sinus irritation, respiratory irritation, depression, fatigue, dizziness and digestive problems. There are also serious and life-threatening conditions that can result from exposure to toxic mold such as cancer, bleeding lungs, bladder and kidney failure, as well as neurological disorders and death.
Many forms of toxic mold can gain access to the interior of a building through openings in windows and doors. Mold can be also be brought into a dwelling by the family dog or cat – and can even attach to clothes and shoes. Mostly however, it is the builders and contractors that fail to adequately seal a structure from moisture that is one of the most common reasons for mold infestation. The list of possible responsible parties includes architects, builders, landlords and prior homeowners.
Once toxic mold infects a structure, to survive and grow it must find more moisture and a source of food. Moisture trapped within the buildings structure is usually the main cause of mold and it’s what keeps it growing.
The increase in toxic mold related illnesses and deaths have resulted in an increase in civil litigation throughout the United States. An entirely new consumer rights area has emerged, making it much easier for mold victims to find experienced lawyers with deep experience in this area of the law and a wide array of legal remedies to assist plaintiffs that have been financially affected or injured by toxic mold.
A legal action alleging negligence must establish that the owner of the property failed to use reasonable care in developing, constructing and/or maintaining the property, such that toxic mold was allowed to spread within the structure resulting in illness, injury and damages to the people who have to live or work in such environments.
Victims of toxic mold exposure may also be the victim of intentional nondisclosure on behalf of the seller, the real estate agent, builder, landlord or contractor. In fact any party that has a legal duty to disclose dangerous conditions on a property prior to the sale or lease of that property, whether commercial or residential, can be held legally liable for the financial damage and health risks caused by such nondisclosure. Sometimes, intentional concealment can even result in being able to claim and prove punitive damages.
Cleaning up and preventing further recurrence of toxic mold can be problematic and costly as well. Even if the inspection and cleanup team is unable to visibly see the mold, locating the mold-producing conditions, such as traces of water and leaks behind a wall or between ceilings, can inform you where the mold problem is and how difficult and expensive it will be to eradicate it from the structure.
For more information on toxic mold liability, black mold, mold lawyers, legal rights and remedies of homeowners and landlord liability for dangerous conditions visit
GotTrouble.com