Knauf trial to start this week March 15, 2010

For those homeowners, attorneys, builders, and others who are following the Chinese drywall trials and their related developments (which are underway in the Eastern District of Louisiana), this week is expected to mark the beginning of a trial where German manufacturer Knauf Plasterboard will participate.  According to one source, the trial is expected to take a week.

Knauf is a German-owned manufacturer, and unlike the recent case against Chinese-owned Taishan Gypsum, the defendant is expected to participate.

This upcoming case, Hernandez v. Knauf, involves a Louisiana family that purchased a home in 2006.  Contrary to the recently litigated Germano v. Taishan case, this case will seek to determine damages to property.  Then, health issues involved will be inquired into at a later point in time.

Another aspect of the case worth noting is that the trial will not involve a jury (referred to as a bench trial).  Knauf is expected to actively defend the case – in fact, it agrees that tainted drywall needs to be removed.  The point of contention, however, is whether components such as plumbing and electrical wiring should be “gutted” and removed as well.

The outcome of this upcoming Knauf case won’t bind the company as far as other litigants (families) are concerned, but what it is expected to do, is to present a categorization of damages.  Similar to Germano, this case will form the protocol of remediation for future cases.  Thus, anyone interested in the Chinese drywall issue at large would be smart to pay close attention to this case and its developments.