Toxic Tort

A penthouse owner at the Harborview, a Baltimore Inner Harbor high-rise condominium building, and his family say they were forced out of their penthouse by repeated leaks and mold problems, according to The Baltimore Sun. After an inquiry from a city councilwoman, however, the city panel that planned to investigate has dropped the case.

The councilwoman called the panel asking if an investigation into mold at the Harborview would cause the property values to drop, which concerned her because she also owns a condominium there. She was also worried that the panel would not give the building’s managers the time to explain their side of the case. She says she did not ask the panel to drop the case.

In early 2010, the Baltimore city mold inspector wrote several $200 mold citations to the condominium association’s president, one for each unit in which he found mold. The owners of those units say that the association is not taking adequate steps to remove the mold, while the association contends that the owners just want to badger the association into taking their units off their hands.

Mold in homes and office buildings can pose a serious health hazard to those who live and work in its presence. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), people exposed to mold contamination may experience coughing, shortness of breath, chest pains, fever, chills, muscle aches, and allergic reactions. Some people exposed to mold become seriously ill, requiring extensive hospital and other medical care.

If you or a loved one has been exposed to mold or other contaminants in a building due to another’s negligence or carelessness, you have certain legal rights. Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” has the legal resources and courtroom experience to build a strong case on your behalf. To find out how Steven H. Heisler can help you as a Maryland toxic tort attorney, call The Law Offices of Steven H. Heisler today at 877-228-4878 for a free and confidential consultation.

In 1997, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry conducted a study on the potential health effects exposure to contaminated drinking water at the Marine base at Camp Lejeune, N.C. from the mid-1950s through the mid-1980s. The report, which concluded that exposure to contaminated water by adults is unlikely to cause cancer, has come under fire in recent years for failing to address the harmful effects of the poison benzene, which was found to have been in the water. On September 16, 2010, the oversight subcommittee of the House of Representatives Science and Technology Committee held a hearing to examine the effects of exposure and heard testimony from Marines who think their cancer is related to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

US Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC), chair of the panel conducting the recent congressional hearings, has recently introduced legislation which, if passed, would establish a presumption that if service members were stationed at Camp Lejeune from the mid-1950s through the mid-1980s, they will be presumed to have been exposed to contaminated water. At this time, the congressional investigation is ongoing and the proposed legislation is still pending. We, at the Law Offices of Steven Heisler are very concerned about this issue and are monitoring the developments.

If you have been harmed by exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune, contact Maryland toxic tort lawyer Steve Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” at 877-228-4878. Steve handles Veterans Affairs disability appeals.