Family Awarded $4.75 Million

January 16, 2009

Family Awarded $4.75 Million for Toxic Mold in House

Last Edited: Sunday, 11 Jan 2009 , 6:33 PM EST

35 year-old Meng was diagnosed with neurotoxicity that she says was caused

by a lethal combination of microscopic mold growing behind the walls of their

home.

Tisha

FOX 5 Reporter

Loudoun County , Va. --

The Meng family spent nearly a million dollars to build what they thought would

be their dream home. But, less than two months after moving in, 35 year-old

Meng started to have such severe migraines and dizziness, she ended up in

the hospital.

" They thought I had a brain tumor or adrenal gland cancer,” she says. “There

were many things they tested. They could see I was so sick, but they couldn't

figure it out.

The family dog suddenly died. Her younger daughter started having uncontrollable

nose bleeds while the rest of the family developed asthma.

Doctors finally diagnosed with neurotoxicity. The Mengs say her body was

full of poison, caused by a potentially-lethal combination of microscopic mold

growing behind the walls of their home.

’s husband says, “The challenge is that it was a new home. It’s the

last thing you’re thinking about. You look at the walls, the walls are white.

You don't see any obvious water stains. "

The Meng’s lawyer, Wise, says The Drees Company didn’t wait for wet

timbers in the frame of the house to dry after it rained.

" You want to make sure the wood isn't still wet,” Wise says. “They put in the

drywall and insulation over wet wood and all the experts agree, if you cover up

the wet wood, its going to allow the mold to grow. "

The Mengs says the result was worse than a fire because everything they owned

became contaminated and had to be destroyed. They sued The Drees Company, which

did not respond for a request for comment on this story.

In late December, a judge ordered The Drees Company to pay the Mengs $4.75

million. Wise says he expects the company to appeal the case.

The family hopes to use the money to buy a new home and pay off their medical

bills.

" You know, it’s a huge amount of money,” says. “We basically want to

restart our lives, we lost our home, we lost our health, I'll never be well

again and neither will my daughter. "

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