Defective Chinese Drywall

ATFY - Helping Victims of Defective Chinese Drywall

In the early part of the 21st Century, the United States was experiencing a housing and building boom that had not been seen in its history. Millions of homes were being built and purchased, and given the extreme level of demand in place contractors and builders were crushed by deadlines like never before as well.

Given the reality of this demand within the market, many home builders felt pressure to continue to ramp up their production volume. When this happens, corners tend to be cut and details tend to be overlooked, which when building a home can lead to devastating results. This is especially true when subcontractors and enormous amounts of materials are involved.

Unfortunately, one of the issues that seems to be arising on the tail end of this housing boom involves drywall that was used in perhaps thousands of homes. This drywall was imported from China, and it’s causing a plethora of problems with homeowners across the Southeastern United States to the point where they need legal help. Below is an overview of the Chinese drywall issue.

The Parties Involved

What seems to be making this ever-expanding problem that much more complicated is that there are several parties involved with the issue on several levels, making it difficult to pinpoint all of the responsible parties. No one seems to be sure which Chinese companies are responsible for the drywall, as only a few of the companies there are cooperating with the investigations that are currently taking place. Taishan Gypsum and Knauf Tianjin are two that have been mentioned, but others have yet to reveal themselves.

As a result, people are looking to the home builders when working to assign accountability for this problem. One such company, Lennar Homes, has been the subject of much scrutiny, particularly in Florida, but estimates indicate that during the housing boom, the United States imported more than 300 million square feet of drywall from China, which is enough to build approximately 35,000 homes.

The Problems

Another point of debate is how this problem originally arose. One allegation states that the drywall became problematic because it had to wait at sea for a period of weeks before it was allowed entry into the United States. According to the theory, the time spent on these ships exposed the drywall to the salt-filled sea air for too long, thereby damaging the product to the point that it began to rot before being used in the homes.

Other theories center on the lack of standards in place in China regarding manufacturing in general, as many different products over time have proven defective once inside the United States because of basic problems with the manufacture of them or the use of improper ingredients in them.

The Effects

The effects of using this defective Chinese drywall have been devastating for hundreds of homeowners already in places such as Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Alabama, among other locations in that area of the United States. These problems are basically twofold in nature, and each is described below:

1. Structural Damage - Clearly, when slowly rotting drywall is used inside of a home, it leads to serious structural damage. Reports of the effects of these products include the emanation of noxious sulfuric fumes that drive the occupants from the home, the rotting of walls, the corrosion of electrical work and the ruination of any plumbing that sits near this drywall. Generally, homeowners have faced thousands of dollars in repair costs to replace the products properly.
2. Health Risks - While some experts have downplayed the possibility of health problems resulting from exposure to these substances, others have stated unequivocally that inhaling the fumes given off by this drywall can lead to the development of serious respiratory problems, particularly with anyone who may be suffering from asthma or some other preexisting respiratory condition.

The Response

The response to this problem has been enormous already, and now it appears that the government is getting involved. The first step, which is usually the case, was for individual homeowners to contact defective products attorneys and to begin the process of investigating the situation and to file lawsuits as a result. This is continuing to happen, and class action possibilities loom on many fronts and with many potential defendants.

Both the Florida legislature and congress in Washington, D.C. have also begun the calls for investigations into the issue in order to find out which parties are responsible. Other politicians have called for numerous resignations of heads of companies and other entities on whom they believe responsibility fell for the placement of these products inside of people’s homes.

In terms of your response, if you believe that your home has been damaged because of the use of defective Chinese drywall, you need to take immediate steps to protect your rights. Contact the defective products attorneys at the law firm of Parilman & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Denture Cream Warnings

Popular denture adhesive creams have recently been linked to serious neurological side effects. Among these dangerous side effects is a nerve disorder called neuropathy, a condition in which a person suffers from peripheral nerve damage.

Good Morning America had a large segment about Denture Cream and the health issues related.

View the entire “episode” here: http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=7504641

Denture Cream Side Effects

Denture creams have recently been linked to several serious, and potentially life-threatening, side effects caused by excess zinc contained in the denture creams. Although a small amount of the mineral zinc is necessary for a healthy diet, zinc is toxic when ingested in large amounts. Side effects of a zinc overdose associated with denture cream use may include:

• zinc poisoning
• copper depletion
• neuropathy
• other neurological side effects

Neuropathy, also referred to as peripheral neuropathy, is typically characterized by pain and numbness in the hands and feet. While most commonly caused by diabetes, neuropathy can result from many other problems, including traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic problems and exposure to toxins. One such toxin is the mineral zinc.

Contain Zinc

Denture adhesive creams, such as Fixodent and Poligrip contain zinc. Although zinc is safe if ingested in small amounts, it can be dangerous, and even deadly, if taken in excess. In addition to neuropathy, zinc overdose can lead to zinc poisoning, copper deficiency, and other neurological side effects.

In August 2008, a study published in the journal Neurology reported on four patients who suffered from neuropathy and other neurological side effects associated with zinc poisoning from denture cream. The study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, noted that while one tube of denture cream should last 3 to 10 weeks, patients in the report were all using at least two tubes of denture cream a week.

People with poorly fitting dentures sometimes use large amounts of denture cream to fix the problem. Unfortunately, these people are often unaware of the risk of zinc overdose, as the Fixodent and Poligrip labels do not contain warnings about zinc poisoning, copper depletion, or neuropathy. To help prevent zinc poisoning from denture adhesive creams, patients with poorly fitting dentures should seek professional help instead of using additional adhesive cream.

Additionally, denture cream users who experience the symptoms of zinc poisoning or neuropathy should contact a doctor immediately. These symptoms may include weakness, loss of sensation, tingling in the extremities, and numbness.

More Than 35 Million Americans

Because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently does not require denture cream manufacturers to disclose the potential side effects associated with denture adhesive cream, many of the more than 35 million Americans who wear dentures are unaware of the link between denture adhesive creams and serious side effects. Consequently, several lawsuits have emerged alleging that denture cream manufacturers should be held accountable for failing to warn consumers of the risk of serious side effects with their products.

Depending on your particular circumstances, a lawyer may be able to help you collect monetary compensation for your dental adhesive cream related injuries, including compensation for:

• medical bills
• lost income
• pain and suffering
• more

Hydroxycut Lawsuit Alert

Hydroxycut Lawsuit Alert

On May 1, 2009 the FDA sent out a warning to consumers to stop using Hydroxycut Products; dietary supplements used for weight loss as fat burners, as energy-enhancers, as low carb diet aids, and for water loss under the Lovate and MuscleTech brand names. Thus far Hydroxycut has been linked to at least one death and twenty three reports of serious health problems; consumers who use the products are at risk of serious liver injury. Some of the health problems associated with the Hydroxycut products include jaundice, elevated liver enzymes (an indicator of potential liver problems), seizures, cardiovascular disorders, rhabdomyolysis (a type of muscle damage that can lead to other serious health problems such as kidney failure) and liver damage requiring liver transplant.

Hydroxycut, Lovate and MuscleTech products are manufactured by Lovate Health Sciences Inc., of Oakville, Ontario and distributed by Lovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell, N.Y. The products being recalled by Lovate are:

• Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
• Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
• Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
• Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
• Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
• Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
• Hydroxycut 24
• Hydroxycut Carb Control
• Hydroxycut Natural

Patients who reported experiencing liver injury after taking Hydroxycut products were using the product at the doses recommended on the bottle. Some of the symptoms associated with liver injury include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes) and brown urine. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, light-colored stools, excessive fatigue, weakness, stomach or abdominal pain, itching, and loss of appetite. The FDA urges consumers to discontinue the use of Hydroxycut to avoid the risk of suffering from any undue health problems.

If you or someone you love has suffered severe Hydroxycut side effects, you may be eligible to recover compensation for your suffering and losses. Contact our service today to get in touch with attorneys experienced with Hydroxycut side effects and who can make sure your legal rights are protected.

** We are very proud of the results that we obtain for our consumers, but past results afford no guarantee of future results; that every case is different and must be judged on its own merits.