A Virginia family was awarded $4.75 million in a case against their home builder alleging that the builder failed to monitor subcontractors and correct issues which led to toxic mold contamination – and their family dealing with unexplainable health conditions.

Virginia personal injury nightmare

In a bizarre story, the facts of which may be more common than you think, a Virginia family finally got their dream house – but the experience quickly turned into their worst nightmare. According to news reports, the Meng family (Paul, Wendy and daughters Emma and Kaleigh) purchased a new $900,000 home in Loudoun County, Virginia. It was their dream home. However, the entire family became ill shortly after moving in.

Over the next year, Wendy ended up with migraines so bad that she ended up in the emergency room several times. Paul and Kaleigh suddenly developed asthma and Emma began to experience headaches, nosebleeds and dizziness. The family had been completely healthy before moving into the home and simply didn’t know what was happening to them.

An independent inspection revealed that the house was covered in toxic mold. Apparently, their builder, Kentucky based Drees Construction Company, never let the drywall in the home completely dry and the mold condition quickly became toxic. When the Mengs told Drees about the issue, the company refused to fix the problem. The Mengs sued their builder and a jury awarded them $4.75 million in damages.

What is toxic mold?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Molds are very common in buildings and homes and will grow anywhere indoors where there is moisture. The most common indoor molds are cladosporium, penicillium, aspergillus and alternaria.” While not all molds are toxic, the situation does exist.

According to Mold-Help, a non-profit company that educates the public on mold, “The term toxic mold is somewhat misleading as it exudes an idea that certain molds are toxic, when actually certain types of molds produce secondary metabolites that produce toxins. The correct term is mycotoxins. Airborne mycotoxins from can definitely destroy one's health. Sometimes, people are unaware that they are breathing mold spores and mycotoxins until they are very sick.”

For additional information on mold, see www.cdc.gov/MOLD/stachy.htm and www.mold-help.org/. If you’ve been injured due to mold, contact an experienced personal injury attorney to discuss your situation and evaluate your options. Consultations with a lawyer are free of charge, without obligation and are strictly confidential.