Where can I turn?

[Guest guest]

My name Leona Aguayo, I am hoping that you can help me or at least point me in

the right direction. I currently work for a Insurance Agency and have been with

this agency since October 2006. My co-worker Becky has with the the agency since

October 2008. The agency is currently located in a shopping center where we

office next door to a Pizza resturant, with mine and Becky's offices sharing the

main business dividing wall with resturant. Since we both have been employed

with the agency, our neighbors resturant has had many water leaks that have

carried over into our offices. The most recent major leak was in December 2009.

The odor in our offices was so disgusting. Our employer demanded the building

owner come out and assess the possible damage. The building owner hired a local

restoration company to come out to clean up and make the necessary repairs. This

was the second time within 6 months the same restoration company had to come out

to distract the water from our office due to a previous water leak. When they

came out this last time the walls were so damaged that they needed to be

replaced. When portions of the wall were removed by the restoration company the

wall was invested with mold and the steel beams were rusted to some point of

deteriation. The building manager ran out and advised me that they would take

care of all the repairs and they would take care of all bills and our employer

no longer needed to communicate with the restoration company or the resturant.

He advised that they would deal with the resturant direct. We later found out

that it was not just a water leak but it was the resturant's sewer line

overflowing in our walls and running down and settling in my office flooring.

When my chair mat was removed the flooring was soaked and carpet was discolored.

My guess would be, it was moldy. My problem is that since I have been with this

agency, the resturant has had at least five leaks that have carried over that I

have witnessed.I truly believe the mold has caused the health problems that

Becky and I have experienced. I was diagnosed with Asthma in February 2008, with

no previous history of respitory problems. We both continue to experience many

other health issues. Becky even experienced a heart attack that she feels might

have been caused by an allergic reaction to the mold. The bad thing is it may be

impossible for Becky to get health insurance now due to the Heart Attack being

pre-existing. Our employer had the office tested by a state certified Mold

Assessment Consultant. with the permission of the building owner. The consultant

discovered that is sample from the HVAC register had significant counts of both

the molds Penicillium and Stachybotrys chartarum known as black mold. The test

was done after the restoration company came in and supposedly fixed the problem.

The resturant has since had another leak and did not notify anyone until 4 days

after the leak. We have had a new employee join our agency and he is now showing

some of the same symptoms that could be caused by the mold. Previous employees

experienced the same symptoms within weeks of employment. We do not want to go

after our employer and we defiantly do not want to file a Workers Comp claim. We

know he has done everything in his power to provide us with a safe work

environment. The landlord has unfortunately tied his hands. There is so much

more to all of this. Could we prove that resturant or the building owner is

liable for our medical bills? What about the restoration company? What we were

told is that when they came in to make the repairs, they did not quarintine any

of the area and they blew fans to dry the carpet. They did not replace any of

the carpet. they it just make it worse by spreading the spores throughout the

office. I have since had pneumonia and we both continue to have nose bleeds,

severe red eyes, severe fatique, rashes, and sinus problems. I feel like our

symtoms are getting worse. We need help!! We can't find a doctor that will take

our health issues serious. Please feel free to contact me at anytime.