Guest guest Posted February 5, 2006 Report Share Posted February 5, 2006 I hope 's family gets justice and hope for the future. --- In , " tigerpaw2c " <tigerpaw2c@...> wrote: > > Article Last Updated: 2/03/2006 10:21 AM > > Mold house survivors to get their day in court on April 5 > > http://nashobapublishing.com/pepperelllocal/ci_3472491 > > By Don sson > Nashoba Publishing > > > > PEPPERELL -- Nearly three years to the day one couple purchased a > duplex at 20A and B ee Rd. only to lose it, their health and > all their possessions, they said, to toxic mold. Now, and Rick > will have their day in court on April 5. > > Their lawsuit against the two Realtors involved in the sale of the > allegedly mold-infested duplex and the realty firms they work for > will go before a 10- to 14-person Lowell Superior Court jury on that > date, said . > > The couple appeared in the Lowell court this week, as did an > attorney for former owners and Anne Burke, of Merrimack, > N.H., to set the trial date. > > Pre-trial motions will be made on April 3, said the ' attorney, > Doyle. A verdict will be decided by a majority of the jury. > > The ' story has been documented by print and televised media > coverage. became ill with multiple types of asthma from, > she said, 32 types of mold that pervaded her home. > > Spores permeated everything they owned, she said, including > vehicles, causing doctors to order the couple to destroy everything. > > Photographs of them wearing HAZMAT suits while throwing their > possessions into a trash bin on their front lawn, and stories of the > ' plight have generated hundreds of weekly e-mail's from mold > sufferers throughout the country. has become somewhat of a > vigilante in a quest for a solution. > > The family is bankrupt, she said. She has no job and the effects of > the fight are beginning to show in her husband's health, she said. > > " It's been a rough road, " said . " I want this thing done. > > " I know there's a mission and there's a purpose, but do we have to > go to the edge of the cliff? I guess so, " she said. > > When word of their plight first made news, residents of Pepperell > gathered to raise money to relocate the newcomers. She still gets > support from new-found friends, said. > > She brought the problem to the Board of Health (BOH) in an attempt > to have the house condemned so no one else could suffer from it. She > had delayed that approach because of the pending suit, she said, but > the board was powerless because no longer owned it. > > The mortgagor, Washington Mutual Bank, eventually excused the > mortgage and associated nonpayment penalties and the house was > resold. > > ' spirits were high following this week's court appearance. > > " I've gone to see my old house. There's a large Dumpster in the > driveway, " she said. " My last conversation with the building > inspector's office proved there is no building permit for it as of > the first of January. > > " I've been slipping, " she said, " I usually call them every week. I > guess I'm somewhat of a boil. > > " My son (Cameron) is doing fine. He's gained two pounds (he suffers > from failure to thrive as well as autism), " she added. " Oh yes, I'm > pleased this trial is coming. I'm ready. " > > Work prognosis isn't good, however, because cannot be re- > exposed to mold. The asthma will be with her for the rest of her > life, she said. > > In addition, she said, the family's food stamps were just canceled. > > " Apparently the feds are running the program, " said. " There is > a national data bank they put the information into and credit you > for the national average. I asked how come under the rental category > they allow only $500. We're double that. > > " You can't rent anything in Massachusetts for that little, but you > can in Kansas. So I guess we have to go to Kansas? " she asked > rhetorically. > > " The mortgage remains excused, but the paperwork we signed with the > bank had a clause allowing them to come back, " she said. " We've got > credit card companies, the bank, MassHealth and house insurance who > could all come after us. If we win the case it could be a wash. " > > The ' had hoped to sell their ee Road home as condexes. > They had a $234,000 mortgage three years ago. She found a recent > advertisement that asked almost $500,000 for a duplex like theirs. > > " To get out of this mess my husband would have to triple his salary > without me working. We're now part of working poor instead of middle > class, " she said. > > " I'm not going away though, " said. " This issue isn't going > away. Something has to be done. We need mandatory real estate > disclosures. > > " We have nothing to lose. We've lost it all except for my integrity > and my big mouth, " she said. > > " A lot of people across (the) country with similar problems have > told me they would like to get the media coverage I've had. I say > back, `How many people would like to throw away everything they > owned because they just wanted to buy a house?' I'm going to go > kicking and screaming, " she said. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.