November MDL Chinese Drywall Status Conference before Judge Fallon
Judge Eldon E. Fallon: The Next MDL 2047 Chinese-Manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation status conference will be held on November 19, 2009
MDL Status Conference Thursday, October 15
Chinese drywall status conference Thursday, October 15, 2009
Developer abandons Norfolk condominium project in light of drywall suits
Just one week following the Chinese drywall suit filed by three homeowners at the Harbor Walk Condominiums in Norfolk, the Virginia Pilot reported that the developer has decided to abandon the project. The message came in the form of a letter, sent to Norfolk City Councilman W. Randy White.
New defective drywall removal methods developed
A recently developing story as reported by the news-press.com sheds light on a possible solution for some homeowners. New York based company Sabre Technical Services held a press conference Monday at Bell Tower Park – the location where it tested its systems for defective drywall removal this summer. The process entailed the utilization of chlorine dioxide gas, with the aim of eradicating air-borne sulfuric compounds. Chief Technology Officer for Sabre commented that chlorine gas isn’t harmful to household structures or appliances.
Attention All Virginia Homeowners
Chinese Drywall Virginia Town Hall Meeting. Critical Updates will be discussed by Attorney Richard Serpe. Multi District LItigation in New Orleans, Virginia Germano Class Action, Dragas Homes, CPSC, Scientific Testing of Homes in Viriniga. Please Attend 8/24/09
Reports of Chinese drywall received from U.S. territories; Florida protocol offers hope
The CPSC stated in its report that the exportation of Chinese drywall reaches further than solely the continental United States – Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa also were included in the report as locations where residents have filed reports with the agency. 28,778 sheets were imported in to the three above mentioned locations during 2006. Diligence, however, is within the purview of the agency – the CPSC has indicated that investigators intend to visit on-site locations in China starting today – Monday August 17.
Virginia developer, The Dragas Companies, inspects Virginia homes for Chinese drywall
The Dragas Comapines is inspecting almost every home it built in The Hampshires at Greenbrier as well as Cromwell Park in Virginia Beach. Additionally, it is paying for repairs and the relocation of homeowners in some instances. In recent statements, The Dragas Companies noted that some homes “. . . appear to emit elevated levels of sulfur compounds that may corrode air conditioning coils, and may damage other mechanical and electrical systems over time.” The drywall was imported by a U.S. supplier back in 2006, and was installed by a subcontractor without the company’s knowledge.
Multi-district litigation in Louisiana will save money on pretrial discovery, eliminate inconsistency
The United States Judicial Panel has found that the ten actions encompassed common questions of fact, and thus centralization under Section 1407 in the Eastern District of Louisiana is the best option for parties involved. Since each action contains questions regarding drywall allegedly manufactured in China, which subsequently was imported in to the United States, which in turn has allegedly caused the emission of corrosive and noxious gases, the centralization was deemed convenient and cost-saving.
Hampton Roads not immune from Chinese drywall problems
Local homeowners have described problems such as chemical and acidic odors emanating throughout their households and malfunctioning appliances such as air conditioning units and even televisions. As reported, some of the chemicals suspected to be present in the Chinese-made drywall have corrosive tendencies. Residents of other states have even reported that jewelry is developing a black film.
CPSC releases status update for the investigation of imported drywall
The process of investigating the chain of commerce is complicated, but at this point, the CPSC has conclusively stated that it has confirmed 6,211,200 sheets of Chinese drywall imported into the United States. To aid in the investigation, the agency is hiring temporary staff to help with the monumental task of providing consumers with more information – information which will eventually determine whether liability exists, and on whose shoulders it shall be placed.