FEMA, Manufacturers of Allegedly Toxic Hurricane Relief Trailers Face New Lawsuit, According to Legal Team for Displaced Gulf Co
19 Março 2008 - 3:05PM
PR Newswire (US)
NEW ORLEANS, March 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A consolidated
class action lawsuit that could include thousands of Gulf Coast
citizens who have resided in allegedly toxic housing units
distributed after the landfalls of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in
2005 was filed against the federal government and dozens of trailer
manufacturers in New Orleans federal court Tuesday. The lawsuit,
which adds new claims to and consolidates several cases previously
filed in Gulf Coast federal courts, names as defendants the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and 62 manufacturers of
government-distributed travel trailers, park models, and mobile
homes, according to the seven-law firm Plaintiffs' Steering
Committee, which will seek to have the case certified as a class
action. The Complaint, which names 55 representative plaintiffs,
claims multiple violations of federal and Louisiana, Texas,
Mississippi, and Alabama law. The lawsuit alleges that
manufacturers failed to warn the federal government about the risks
of formaldehyde used in particle board, fiberboard, plywood, glues,
and adhesives used to manufacture the housing units and then
"ignored or deliberately and fraudulently concealed" the risks.
FEMA is accused in the lawsuit of distributing housing units well
after undisclosed air sampling of housing units at government
staging facilities showed formaldehyde levels that exceeded
government standards; seeking to avoid comprehensive testing of the
housing units after widespread health problems were reported by
residents of the housing units; ignoring the scientific work and
concerns of federal scientists familiar with formaldehyde issues;
and manipulating governmental testing of the housing units by
seeking to ensure that long-term formaldehyde exposure
considerations would not be addressed in testing findings. Attorney
Tony Buzbee, of the Buzbee Law Firm, in Houston, Texas, stated, "We
contend that FEMA and the manufacturers knew or should have known
of health hazards inherent in these housing units. Published
medical studies -- and the government's own testing -- make it
clear that the dangers of long-term formaldehyde exposure were no
secret to either the federal government or the manufacturers. Our
clients report a wide range of symptoms that are consistent with
formaldehyde exposure. The time is coming when the industry will be
forced to explain why these housing units were so toxic to the
displaced families living in them." Attorney Raul Bencomo, of
Bencomo & Associates, in New Orleans, stated, "Until very
recently, FEMA's handling of this health issue has been deplorable,
but we do agree with the agency's position that responsibility for
the safety of families living in the trailers also falls on the
manufacturers. We are determined to have the government and the
responsible manufacturers account for creating and prolonging this
crisis. Because the government paid billions of taxpayer dollars
for these housing units, we also urge the Congress to investigate
this matter." The families are represented by the legal team of Mr.
Buzbee; Mr. Bencomo; Gerald Meunier and Justin Woods, of
Gainsburgh, Benjamin, David, Meunier & Warshauer, L.L.C. in New
Orleans (Plaintiffs' Co-Liaison Counsel); Frank D'Amico, Jr.,
D'Amico & Associates, in New Orleans; Matthew Moreland, of the
Becnel Law Firm, in Reserve, Louisiana; Linda Nelson, of Lambert
& Nelson, in New Orleans; and Ronnie Penton, of the Law Offices
of Ronnie G. Penton; in Slidell, Louisiana. Besides FEMA, the named
defendants include Coachmen Industries (NYSE:COA); Fleetwood
Enterprises Inc. (NYSE:FLE); Thor Industries Inc. (NYSE:THO); Gulf
Stream Coach, Inc; Forest River Inc.; Jayco Enterprises, Inc.;
Monaco Coach Corporation; Pilgrim International, Inc.; Recreation
By Design, LLC; and Starcraft RV, Inc. The case is "In Re FEMA
Trailer Formaldehyde Product Liability Litigation" (MDL No. 1873),
in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana,
New Orleans Division. More information is available at
http://www.toxic-trailer.com/. Attorney Contacts: Tony Buzbee, the
Buzbee Law Firm, (800) 992-5393; and Raul Bencomo, Bencomo &
Associates, (504) 529-2929. Media Contact: Erin Powers, Powers
MediaWorks LLC, (281) 362-1411 or (281) 703-6000. DATASOURCE: The
Buzbee Law Firm; Bencomo & Associates CONTACT: Tony Buzbee of
the Buzbee Law Firm, 1-800-992-5393; or Raul Bencomo of Bencomo
& Associates, +1-504-529-2929; or Media, Erin Powers of Powers
MediaWorks LLC, +1-281-362-1411, +1-281-703-6000, for The Buzbee
Law Firm and Bencomo & Associates Web site:
http://www.powersmediaworks.com/
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