What Impact is Mold Having on the Economy?
Advertisement Stachybotrys, also known as black or toxic mold, is quickly becoming a problem not only in homes and buildings, but in pocketbooks of building owners, contractors, and insurance companies.
There has been a large rise in black mold legal claims being filed, many of which are getting serious attention from the courts.
In addition, insurance claims that are not being properly recognized by the insurance companies are being transferred to the court system as well.
What impact is this having upon the economy? While you may not have been personally affected by a loss resulting from black mold claims, the losses occurring around the country are affecting us all.
Here are some of the reasons why we all should care about an increasingly reported black mold problem.
Reasons Why Mold is Important to Us :
- Mold problems are not distributed evenly across the country:Losses due to mold claims are, for instance, thirty times greater in Nevada than they are in Wisconsin. New home construction and the use of air conditioners has helped contribute to an increase in mold claims in the western and southwestern states.This uneven distribution of claims means certain builders and lenders are taking the brunt of all the claims, leaving them little profit and often forcing them into bankruptcy.
- Juries are awarding multiple millions of dollars:There are already several instances of individuals or groups being awarded multi-million dollar lawsuits. These suits bankrupt lenders, raise insurance costs, and put builders out of business.This is increasing costs drastically, as builders themselves need to purchase more costly insurance to cover their losses.
- Insurance companies and lenders are greatly impacted:Both lenders and insurance companies are experiencing high rates of loss due to black mold claims. Insurance companies are paying out millions in claims, and lenders are being affected by bankruptcies filed by both homebuilders and building owners.Those increases are, of course, passed onto the public.
- Mold is now a “class action†negligence: The losses incurred with black mold suits are so high due to the fact that plaintiffs are no longer limited to an individual residing in a home.There are employees suing companies, companies suing builders, tenants suing property owners, etc. One doesn’t need a big imagination to see how vast the class action lawsuits can become.
Do You Want to be a Homeowner?
With the presence of black mold increasing along with the increase in home construction and natural disasters, it only stands to reason that building owners, builders, lenders, and insurance companies will continue to take the brunt of losses claimed to be from mold.
Advertisement While we may not fit into that category, most of us would like to be homeowners one day, and the negative effect the excess litigation will have on the fees charged by these affected companies will have a great impact on the cost to purchase housing and insurance in the future.
For this reason, we all need to be made aware of the economic costs of black mold.
Further Recommended Reading :
Joslyn from the Moldblogger Team
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7 comments
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my family moved into this house owned by three quarry’s on the weekend of Feb. 9th 2008. we rented through a state realty management. this house was only rented out b/c of greed. from the start till now the home was to be torn down and a road leading back to the quarry will be in it’s place. however we thought we was being blessed w/this house for a no. of reasons; there’s 4 of us now myself age 29, my husband 38, my boy 13 and now are newest member my daughter 9months old.
we lived in a 2 bedroom apt. we was miserable ppl. above us and below us. so my same landlord rented us this house…..
my husband who in 8 yrs. has only been sick twice feel ill the first day we moved in. then my boy who i cant even think of the last time was sick. then me, my throat was black in color for 4 in a half weeks and i couldn’t even whisper. i am an asthmatic but it’s never up-til now caused me any problem even w/ smoking half my life. like i said till now!!!!! then w/in a month an a half my new baby feel ill. this was very odd to me. yes it was wet cold snowy and nasty out side. we were all pretty healthy. my baby and i really never left the house……..
b/c i was afraid someone else being sick would get her sick.
so after her Dr. seeing her twice now couldn’t figure it out i followed these steps.
on good Friday in march i called my landlord, asked him to please come check this house for mold b/c my whole family was sick and had been the entire time we was there. the following Tuesday he shows up w/a flash light. he said there’s no mold in this house or he didn’t see anything.
so we trusted him and continued living there.
so another week went by and me and my baby didn’t leave not once. b/c I’m trying to get us better quickly.
we got worse. so after taking her to the Dr.’s office again on the following Friday. he ordered x-rays and blood work on my new healthy baby.
i moved my family that day into a hotel that was on march 28 2008.
now one week after we all got better fast:)
not!!!
not so fast after we all got well…………the first rain that fell 1 at a time we all got sick again. this time not my husband. i think b/c he was always @ work 12 to 14 hours a day. now every time the wind blows me and my kids are sick.
my son may have heart problems, my baby may need tubes in her ears and myself, i now may have COPD. anyway…..after we left the house i called the landlord again. he didn’t have time to deal w/ none of this. so after my husband called him again he had a ”mold guy” come check. April 1st now. his guy said mold everywhere. not good. he also told us this mold had been covered up and that it had been there for a long time. so i called an environmentalist out to tell me what we were all really breathing, and so i had proof. thank god i did that. b/c he found deadly mold and asbestos. if you have any advise or info for me, please don’t hesitate. i don’t know what to do now.
file a lawsuit against your landlord – not only did he know prior to subjecting you and your family to potentially life threatening microorganisms, after you complained to him about your situation he not only had a post sale duty to warn, like “oh yeah, I forgot to mention …” he has a duty to make sure the dwelling you rent from him is “a safe and healthy environment”. You can go so far as to sue him for assault, but in the least breach of contract or negligence, You should go for restitution for any expenses you have moving out of the place, things you may have had to abandon so you don’t bring the mold spores with you, etc. and you can ask for a separate trial for damages, i.e. personal injury. This is the only way he will be forced to do something about the property and not rent it to another unsuspecting family. You can go for restitution in small claims court depending on the amount and state you are in which only costs about $70 to file a complaint and these cases get resolved within a few months. You can also file pro se, (no lawyer) but pay attention to deadlines and procedures involved in doing this type of case. Or see if you can find a lawyer who will work on a contingency basis. Either way, good luck and go get him!!!
MY PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU ALL!
I have had my whole life turned upside down and stopped in its tracks…. When I think of the life I used to have …. I feel like I’m in a nightmare and tell myself to wake up. There is only so much worry anxiety sleepless nights medication and Dr.s as well as attorneys that ones emotional state can take. Not to mention the disbelievers that think your crazy! If your family member was hurt and lost their house in a fire , everyone would understand his or her battle, if you thought you were dying of a brain tumor and your dr. Said maybe….. Go get another opinion, you would search the universe to do that. If you have renters insurance( as I did) but denied due to the peril in the 15th pg of the notice in your terms and conditions that excludes ” mold” yet you are going to trial up against the Sharks …. Because you are be asked to prove you have mold….. Is a bit bizarre to me. Do I ? Or don’t I have toxic mold? In a society we live in has gone as far as even considering going though all the pain and suffering and loss of life just to get some bucks…. Makes me disgusted and yet grateful that I was raised with an upbringing that had honesty morals values and justice and for that I have strength , courage,’faith, and acceptance which I apply in my daily life. STAND UP FOR YOURSELFS AND YOUR FAMILY! no excuses ! Everything u need is at your reach . Inform yourself , read ask questions , don’t stop, never give up , and have faith that as long as u do the footwork you can then stay out of the results. I know that I was wronged and I know I can and always will tell the truth. No one is perfect, but justice will be served . I did what I had to do…. Now I keep reading on health and listen to my body and continue to be grateful.
God Bless
MY PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU ALL!
I have had my whole life turned upside down and stopped in its tracks…. When I think of the life I used to have …. I feel like I’m in a nightmare and tell myself to wake up. There is only so much worry anxiety sleepless nights medication and Dr.s as well as attorneys that ones emotional state can take. Not to mention the disbelievers that think your crazy! If your family member was hurt and lost their house in a fire , everyone would understand his or her battle, if you thought you were dying of a brain tumor and your dr. Said maybe….. Go get another opinion, you would search the universe to do that. If you have renters insurance( as
I did) but denied due to the peril in the 15th pg of the notice in your terms and conditions that excludes ” mold” yet you are going to trial up against the Sharks …. Because you are be asked to prove you have mold….. Is a bit bizarre to me. Do I ? Or don’t I have toxic mold? In a society we live in has gone as far as even considering going though all the pain and suffering and loss of life just to get some bucks…. Makes me disgusted and yet grateful that I was
raised with an upbringing that had honesty morals values and justice, which in turn has granted me with strength , courage,’faith, and acceptance which I apply in my daily life. STAND UP FOR YOURSELFS AND YOUR FAMILY! no excuses ! Everything u need is in your reach . Inform yourself , read ask questions , don’t stop, never give up , and have faith that as long as u do the footwork you can then stay out of the results. I know that There are people out there who smell a dollar , shame on you ! But this isn’t about those people. You and I know something isn’t right and if it isn’t then get up and go to the nearest Health dept in your city. File a claim and tell them until they do a site check and a mold test, ( better that you buy one at Home Depot so u have something to show them ) you cannot and will not expose yourself or your family to poison! Also email your landlord and or property management company and keep all correspondences in a file with dates, in case u have to use it. When u talk to the health dept . Either they cited the property and your landlord must put u up in a place or inform the health dept that you need resources or hotel voucher. TAKE NOTHING WITH YOU! Not even the clothes you are wearing. Nothing! Or you will stay sick. Churches and food pantrys and hardship letters to your creditors. As long as you keep them informed most are understanding. Then read everything you can regarding toxic mold exposure. No one is perfect, but justice will be served . I did what I had to do… I don’t talk to my family about it or friends . Ignorance is bliss….
reading up on health and listen to your body and continue to be grateful. Be nice to yourself ! Your not crazy !! Cdc website and environmental agency’s , also pubmed a all great info.
God Bless
Black Toxic Mold is real! I would have not know about it, if I had not had the experience of this Toxic and deadly growing infestation, deliberately being ignored in a lot of states; even as you stated, covered up to appear that there is no problem. It is a shame that the Landlords/Property Managers have continued to deliberately ignore and turn a blind eye knowing that the place that they are renting or wanting to rent to potential renters, have a deadly, poisonous Black Mold Infestation, that has been unresolved, growing in the rental unit and all throughout the building. It takes no time at all for mold (aka Mould) to begin to grow and to spore. Once the mold is airborne, the occupant is in danger. You are not just breathing it in, every time you sit down to consume you meal (food and drink) you are consuming mold, and this “Contaminant” begins to work, creating illnesses in you body, with flu-like symptoms (only worse), allergy-like symptoms (water eyes, itchy eyes, red eyes, sneezing, coughing, headaches, nausea, vommitting, itching skin, rashes, etc. Just to name few. Babies and the elderly or more susceptible but excluding any and everybody else exsposed. I have black spots on my tongue and areas of my neck have darkened, also food tastes different. The best thing to do is to get out as soon as you are able. I moved out as soon as I could, it is not and was not easy! When you’ve been attacked by this terrible contaminant you are slowed down as you have experienced too. The problem most Tenants find is that you cannot visibly see “Spores”, and the ignorance and avoidance displayed by authority figures is their statement that they did not see the evidence of the mold, and go no further with your report of being sick because of Mold/Black Toxic mold growing. The CDC (Center For Desease Control), calls this “Mold” a contaminant! Poisonous! More than enough reason for it not to be ignored. I just moved out of a horrible place! Property Mgr. lied and said there was no leaks, nor mold growing in the building. He lied just to rent it! I did not become knowledgeable of the facts of leaks, unresolved, until after moving in. Devastatingly, I had moved in, and moving out right away, was not the option. I saw the leaks and the mold, Bkack Toxic Mold, just a litte too late! There were many discrepancies found and reported to the landlord, and he did nothing to fix any of them. “Slumlord”! I moved out and am looking for a place temporarily on a month to month tenancy, then, I am going to another state where I have family. This is the Lord leading me to do so. Don’t let this slide, you have a legal case against these people, and need to use the law, that this not only happens to either of you again, but stops these ” slumlords” from causing this horrible detrimental, a devastatingly and deadly sickness from occurring in someone else’s life. I am seeking legal counsel to stop these evil people here. Not everyone is for life! Those that are for life, you can trust are not going to be your enemy, for God is for life but Satan, the devil is for death, and he, Satan, has many workers, who are willing to do evil for ill-gotten gain (for the love of money). Faith without works is dead. I am putting legs to my faith. We must exercise our faith. Get a good attorney and take these people to court, God will make a show of that ” devil” openly. I’ll be in prayer for all of you continuously in these shared matters, giving thanks to God my Father and LORD, IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. AMEN! Stand steady. If you’re praying continue in pray, believing what you’ve asked God for, and seeing it already done, and giving continual thanks. The manifestation is soon to come. God moves on our faith in Him, to do what man sees as impossible. Amen.