Slightly Different Spin on McMahon Story

[Guest guest]

Ed McMahon sues over toxic mold in L.A. home

Wed Apr 10, 4:33 PM ET

By Tippit

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - As ny Carson's sidekick, entertainer Ed McMahon

was famed for his infectious laugh. But as a homeowner, he says he is

involved in a drama that has left him seething.

McMahon, 79, is suing his home insurance company for $20 million, claiming

it botched a simple repair on a broken pipe and, as a result, allowed a

toxic mold to spread through his house, making his family sick and killing

his dog.

In a lawsuit filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, McMahon, who for

years served as Carson's sidekick on NBC's " Tonight Show, " said he, his wife

Pamela, and household staff members have been battling illnesses as a result

of exposure to a mold known as stachybotrus chartarum. He also said the

family dog, Muffin, died as a result of a mold-induced infection.

The suit is the latest in a recent spate of litigation over toxic mold

infestation, a recently recognized phenomenon, which is believed to cause

serious illness particularly in the respiratory tract, and even death.

It names sdale, Arizona-based American Equity Insurance Co., a unit of

Citigroup Inc. as a plaintiff as well as several Southern California

contractors who had been hired to clean up the mold. A spokeswoman for

American Equity declined to comment Wednesday.

According to the suit, a pipe burst last July in McMahon's estate in the

posh Coldwater Canyon section of Los Angeles, causing his den to be flooded.

McMahon made a claim under his policy with American Equity, which arranged

to clean up the damage caused by the flooding.

" What started out as a simple plumbing leak ended up a horrific nightmare

only King could write about, " McMahon's lawyer Allan Browne told

Reuters. He added the mold spread through the house with a high

concentration in the main bedroom.

The lawsuit charges that the contractors painted over visible mold and

failed to provide the McMahons with environmental reports related to the

levels of mold infestation despite repeated requests for documentation.

In addition, another contractor hired by the insurer to store the McMahons'

furniture, artwork and television memorabilia has not to date returned the

items despite repeated requests to do so, and the McMahons do not know where

their belongings are being stored, Browne said.

" They took away 50 years of memorabilia, all of their fine art, all of the

couches, chairs, every stick of furniture, we don't even know where any of

that is located. The clothes were taken out and they were supposedly cleaned

and it took months to get them back and once they got them back we found out

cleaning had been done improperly. ... It's just been a nightmare, " Browne

added.

Reuters/Variety