North Chicago man can't escape toxic mold in home

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Dying a slow death

North Chicago man can't escape toxic mold in home

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http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/1284519,5_1_WA18_MOLD

_S1.article

November 18, 2008

BY KENDRICK MARSHALL kmarshall@...

Eugene Phelps believes he is dying a slow death. The 57-year-old

North Chicago man is partially paralyzed, has diabetes and heart

disease. However, he says those illnesses are not what's killing

him.

Phelps blames the Illinois Department of Health and Human Services,

which he said has been giving him the runaround the past four years.

» Click to enlarge image

Eugene Phelps, 57, of North Chicago says the house that he has lived

in for 30 years has serious mold and mildew infestation because of a

leaking pipe that the Illinois Department of Health and Human

Services failed to repair.

(MIchael Schmidt/News-Sun)

» Click to enlarge image

Phelps

» Click to enlarge image

Water damage is seen along the basement walls of Eugene Phelps'

house in North Chicago.

It all started in 2004 when Phelps asked the department to send a

contractor to his home to install a special bathtub because the

previous one was too small. In 2003, Phelps suffered a stroke that

left him paralyzed on the left side of his body, and he needed home

health care.

A water pipe broke in the basement during installation of the tub.

" I was told that someone would come back in a few weeks to fix it,

but they did not come back until three months later, " Phelps said.

And when someone finally came to repair the damage, the pipe was

duct-taped shut.

Now, the house that Phelps has lived in for 30 years has serious

mold and mildew infestation because of the leaking pipe.

Already an asthmatic, Phelps claims he is suffering breathing

difficulties and skin sores because of the mold. His doctor, Dr.

Issac of the Heart and Vascular Center of Lake County in

Gurnee, has recommended that he move out of the house.

DHS spokesperson Tom Green said in April 2004 that Phelps was found

to be eligible for home services.

Through a bidding process, Buffalo Grove-based Lang Home Medical

Equipment was selected to make modifications to Phelps' bathroom and

install a water heater, sump pump and tub. That work was completed

earlier this year, Green said.

While Phelps blames poor workmanship for the flooding in his

basement, a Lang spokesperson said employees were not responsible

for the damage.

" The basement was already flooded when they got there, " he

said. " Our guys said they were walking around in human waste and

sewage. "

Since then, Phelps has sent numerous copies of his correspondence

with DHS officials that he claims documents the botched handling of

his problems. He also sought help from U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, R-

Highland Park and the NAACP.

Green said Phelps' case is closed, and if any damage was done to his

house as a result of the work, the blame should be placed with the

agency that performed the service.

A mold inspection conducted by Chicago-based First Choice Responders

on Oct. 23 revealed toxic mold throughout the basement.

Phelps then filed several claims on his home insurance policy to

have the water damage and mold covered. However, those claims were

denied because the policy did not cover that type of damage.

On Nov. 11, Phelps was sent a letter by DHS saying the ramp he

requested nearly five years ago would be installed, but no work

would be done to repair his basement.

" Not only is such remediation above and beyond the scope of the

services provided by the program, but your claim that the alleged

mold in your home is the result of action or inaction on the part of

DHS is both without basis and false, " DHS acting general counsel

- Sullivan said in a statement.

Green said the organization has attempted to solicit help for

Phelps, but nothing has materialized.

Phelps says DHS is trying to duck responsibility.

" I don't understand why they won't help me. It's like they want to

me die. "