HABC hit with mold verdict

[Guest guest]

HABC hit with mold verdict

BARBARA GRZINCIC

Daily Record Managing Editor/Law

October 21, 2008 6:54 PM

http://www.mddailyrecord.com/article.cfm?id=8869 & type=UTTM

The Housing Authority of Baltimore City must pay more than $300,000

to a former tenant whose lung condition was made worse by the

presence of hazardous mold in her home.

A jury in Baltimore City Circuit Court deliberated for three hours

Monday before awarding Nornita Hyman $3,384 in rental expenses and

$300,000 for pain and suffering.

Hyman, 48, lived in the Mount Winans community in South Baltimore

between 1999 and May 2006. Mold exacerbated her sarcoidosis,

requiring five hospital stays between 2004 and April 2006, said her

lawyer, E. Nevin of the Law Offices of T. Nicholl. She

moved out at the recommendation of a consulting pulmonologist, who

diagnosed her with hypersensitivity pneumonitis, Nevin said.

Hyman's lawsuit sought at least $2 million in damages.

" Their last offer was $25,000, " Nevin said. " Our last demand was

$198,000. "

Blackburn Riley, who represented the HABC at trial, was not

available to comment Tuesday afternoon. The HABC has indicated it

will appeal or ask presiding Judge Alfred Nance to set aside the

verdict, Nevin said.

Nevin also represented three tenants at a different HABC building,

Homewood House, who won a combined $375,000 in damages after they

were sickened by mold in their apartments. The Court of Special

Appeals affirmed in January.

[Guest guest]

Was Baltimore where they had that horrific stack effect situation with

the public housing?

I remember hearing about some very ugly situation in a building or

buildings where there was a VERY real need to remediate and they

didn't, they

just closed some floors off..

Sarcoidosis and HP can both be pretty serious conditions.. I can't

imagine a health insurer wanting to insure somebody with sarcoidosis,

it would be a guaranteed losing proposition for them. Same thing with

HP.

On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 7:36 PM, tigerpaw2c <tigerpaw2c@...> wrote:

> HABC hit with mold verdict

> BARBARA GRZINCIC

> Daily Record Managing Editor/Law

> October 21, 2008 6:54 PM

>

> http://www.mddailyrecord.com/article.cfm?id=8869 & type=UTTM

>

> The Housing Authority of Baltimore City must pay more than $300,000

> to a former tenant whose lung condition was made worse by the

> presence of hazardous mold in her home.

>

> A jury in Baltimore City Circuit Court deliberated for three hours

> Monday before awarding Nornita Hyman $3,384 in rental expenses and

> $300,000 for pain and suffering.

>

> Hyman, 48, lived in the Mount Winans community in South Baltimore

> between 1999 and May 2006. Mold exacerbated her sarcoidosis,

> requiring five hospital stays between 2004 and April 2006, said her

> lawyer, E. Nevin of the Law Offices of T. Nicholl. She

> moved out at the recommendation of a consulting pulmonologist, who

> diagnosed her with hypersensitivity pneumonitis, Nevin said.

>

> Hyman's lawsuit sought at least $2 million in damages.

>

> " Their last offer was $25,000, " Nevin said. " Our last demand was

> $198,000. "

>

> Blackburn Riley, who represented the HABC at trial, was not

> available to comment Tuesday afternoon. The HABC has indicated it

> will appeal or ask presiding Judge Alfred Nance to set aside the

> verdict, Nevin said.

>

> Nevin also represented three tenants at a different HABC building,

> Homewood House, who won a combined $375,000 in damages after they

> were sickened by mold in their apartments. The Court of Special

> Appeals affirmed in January.

>