college dorm mold lawsuit
But it kept coming back.. During the past two years and before the renovation began, students reported more than 100 mold problems. John A. Carlos II / Special to The Post and Courier, Amya Carr, 21, died on April 18, 2022, of an apparent asthma attack at her dorm at South Carolina State University. More clear is that mold is making many students miserable. 
But some molds can cause serious health problems once they get a foothold into your home or workplace, particularly "black mold." Even before college, Rice knew she was sensitive to mold based on earlier tests by her allergist. The suit was filed All of which can allow mold in college dorms to occur. Journal of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine, 14(3), 261-274. Environmental and Occupational Health Assessment Program, & Environmental and Occupational Health Assessment Program, & Health Science Section, Mold Basics for Primary Care Clinicians (2009). One person might not feel a thing, but the person's roommate might end up wheezing and coughing. November 2, 2022. Low 67F. FindLaw.com Free, trusted legal information for consumers and legal professionals, SuperLawyers.com Directory of U.S. attorneys with the exclusive Super Lawyers rating, Abogado.com The #1 Spanish-language legal website for consumers, LawInfo.com Nationwide attorney directory and legal consumer resources. So if the plaintiff has a fairly strong case and proof of toxic mold infestation, but with a sliver of doubt as to the causation of the illnesses, the base settlement amount (calculated as if there were a 100 percent chance of succeeding at trial) may be discounted by 30 percent or so. "There was a lot of interest." A new filing in a lawsuit alleges that Indiana University at Bloomington pressured its health center to play down the likelihood that student illnesses had been The medical effects of mold exposure. Cladosporium is a common brown and black mold strain found inside and outside the home. The lawsuit against the university began in October 2018, when several IU Bloomington students filed a tort claim notice on behalf of students suffering due to their Blaschke said she bleached the bathtub and the shower over and over. Over the past year our bathroom has gotten so moldy that it looks like a hazard to our health. There was mold all over my pillows, mold all over my wall, mold all over my bed, Guthrie told The Daily Gamecock for this report. Educate students on how they can help prevent mold growth. Housing officials interviewed for this story said their maintenance crews do the best they can to beat back mold outbreaks. Damages often include medical costs, related losses (such as time off work to recover from injury), and the cost of cleanup and structural restoration. For example, all told, the College of Charleston manages 3.8 million square feet of building space on its campus, as much as the new World Trade Center in New York. For example, if the university failed to warn, or failed to remediate, mold in your dorm room, it is likely that you overpaid for room & board, and you may be due a refund. Mold or not, maintaining old buildings and so much space "is a difficult situation that we have to deal with," said Cliff Hamilton, director of environmental health and safety. For Kayra Rice, her move to USC from her mold-ridden dorm at Francis Marion turned out to be one of the best things that happened to her. Again, you may have a potential claim even if you were not injured. At Clemson, the schools Lightsey Bridge complex had 69 mold reports during a roughly two-year period, the most of any of the schools dorms. Nicole Ziege, Zharia Jeffies, Nathaniel Cary, Avery Wilks and Glenn Smith of The Post and Courier reported for this Uncovered project. With multiple accusations of mold in University housing, ASU has not been acknowledging or handling the problem of sick students sufficiently Mold is one of the hazards that students have found in their rooms, the Hassayampa dorm is one place where students reported becoming ill. Zach Van Arsdale By Charyse Padgett | April 18, 2022 | When the Uncovered collaboration asked USC for public records about mold, the school responded with a $12,500invoice to produce these documents. Unfortunately, theyknow they have a problem. In South Carolina, a group of students at Morris College in Sumter filed a $55 million class action lawsuit alleging that dorms there made them sick. To better understand molds impact on South Carolina college students, the Uncovered collaboration sought complaints, tests and work orders from 12 of the states largest public universities. EPA. Learn more about FindLaws newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy. 
Your best bet in these sorts of cases is to find a localattorney who specializes in toxic mold litigation. In a 16-page lawsuit filed Thursday evening in Brazos County District Court, Katherine Kristofek, a Texas A&M freshman from Dallas, claims that American Campus Researchers are still hard at work attempting to determine exactly how mold can affect our health, but its a tough subject to nail down. The newspaper teamed up with its Uncovered partners, a collaboration of local newspapers across South Carolina that explores questionable government conduct. The University of South Carolina had the most complaints and also lacked an efficient system to track mold outbreaks, a new Uncovered investigation found. She grew sicker and sicker. A judge has granted class-action status to a lawsuit alleging an Indiana university breached its contract by provided substandard living assignments to thousands of students staying in residential halls where mold was found. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) Possible mold problems in dorm rooms at Tennessee State University have two students telling FOX 17 News theyre dealing with respiratory issues. Except for this time, there are two mold colonies pumping spores into the air. Whether youre a parent or a freshly moved-in college student, that drop-off day is an emotionally charged, chaotic whirlwind of a time. BLOOMINGTON, Ind. Guthries and Rices experiences werent outliers, the Uncovered collaboration found. Toxic mold lawsuits are particularly complicated, as they often involve multiple causes of action, can implicate a wide range of potential defendants, and require specific medical and scientific expertise. But they also said many mold cases were the product of students own slovenly habits. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. tbartelme@postandcourier.com, By Tony Bartelme and Zharia Jeffries WebFiling a lawsuit should be your next move if the landlord refuses to address your mold issue. The email address cannot be subscribed. The key here is to address the problem correctly and not look for a quick fix. East Wheelock mold exposure prompts students to relocate as college begins short-term remediation efforts. Annemarie Cuccia saw the black mold spread through rooms in her dormitory five on her floor in a span of about two weeks last September. . Students said they found mold on their desks, mattresses, couches and even their hats. Plaintiffs are seeking to recover damages, but a dollar amount has not yet been determined, said Richard Shevitz, an attorney representing the students. The university also put $3,000 in the bursar accounts of each student living in the two residential halls, which came out to a total of $7,374,000, according to Carneys email. And then you get infected with other things.. By FindLaw Staff | Last year, students at Howard University in Washington, D.C., wereso fed upthey camped outside their dorms in tents. Contact a qualified real estate attorney to help protect you from the costs and frustration of construction defects. I thought it was allergies until I went to the doctor, and he said it was from mold, he told The (Clemson) Tiger for this report. So much so that she transferred to the University of South Carolina. Provided. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them. Chances are, if you Google any college and "mold," youll probably find a list of stories detailing problems theyve experienced. Older buildings, in particular, have this issue, but newer student residences can also fall into this category. WebBOWLING GREEN, Ky. S tudents in one Western Kentucky University dorm say they are so frustrated with their living conditions that they have started a petition for the university to repair their dorms.. Most toxic mold lawsuits against building owners and landlords aresettled before trial, but those filed againsthomeowner's insuranceproviders typically are resolved at trial. Basic facts about mold and dampness. South Carolina college students complained of thousands of instances of mold exposure in dorm rooms over the past two years, according to a new investigation by the Charleston-based Post and Courier. Lack of cleaning in the building as a whole. Blaschke and her roommate used their suite-mates door to avoid walking under the fungi. I couldnt sleep in my room because, again, you stir up all the stuff so you literally cant breathe in it, so my roommate and I didnt sleep in my room that night, Guthrie said. They basically badgered the school into drilling a hole through the wall and going in with a camera, he said. Multiple rooms at the college also have black mold in the AC units. Education College Lawsuit College tuition University of North Carolina. Youre double-checking that everything made it to the dorm and no essential items were forgotten about (like that coveted mini-fridge), all required books are bought, everythings organized so that it all fits in the teeny tiny space, tears are held at bay until the car pulls away, and that theres no mold. North of Columbia, Winthrop in Rock Hill had more than 270 reports. We got a test kit and surprise - it IS mold. It takes a more extensive process. Some individuals bodies are better equipped to handle the problem and will experience little to no symptoms. They didnt want any comments that might lead to some legal issues and all of that, he said. Other similar legal causes of action could follow. He was a member of a legislative panel that in 2019 recommended a statewide education campaign about mold. Name TermsPrivacyDisclaimerCookiesDo Not Sell My Information, Begin typing to search, use arrow keys to navigate, use enter to select, Please enter a legal issue and/or a location, Begin typing to search, use arrow Max Milliken met College of Charleston President Andrew Hsu over concerns about mold and that his College Lodge dorm wasn't getting the kind of maintenance attention that other dorms were receiving. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-course-chapter-2#Chapter2Lesson3. Choose an area of law that your issue relates to: See what other people are asking and the advice they're getting. If the mold can be handled by the college, they should understand how to properly remove the mold and decontaminate the area. Years licensed, work experience, education. The College of Charleston had the second most with 422 complaints, followed by Clemson with 321 complaints and mold-related inspections. Consider what happened at Lander University, a college of 3,800 students in Greenwood. Photo: Courtesy of Leah Camili via The Daily Gamecock. Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. CBS Interactive. It's better to be transparent and say how the (mold) was detected and how this being managed. Mold is a real concern that families and students have, added Stephen Harrison, vice president of auxiliary enterprises at Coastal Carolina. From there, they should have two courses of action planned out. They should have a plan in place, crafted by consultations with experts, to handle the problem. On the other hand, many colleges employ individuals to clean common areas like the bathroom. The lawsuits targets are punching back with allegations that the college failed to properly maintain the dorm. Retrieved August 18, 2021, from. Elected leaders and school officials have kicked the maintenance can down the road for decades. If you or your child discovers mold, report it immediately to the school. And they said students and parents often overreact, especially when students post complaints on social media. And, when mold decides to end up in these spaces, it can put a serious health damper on whats supposed to be a fun-filled (although seriously stressful) year at school. Failure to regularly change air filters, or choose ones that adequately filter out mold particles. A group of five current and former Morris College students filed a lawsuit against the college this week for mold infestation in the student dormitories on campus. The maintenance team even saw the bathroom and said it was a health and safety issue, they even said they'd take care of it. The school told The (Greenwood) Index-Journal, an Uncovered partner, that the mold has since been cleaned up. All of which qualify as exposure and could cause adverse health reactions in students. Every time I would come home for the weekend, I would feel magically better, Blaschke said. There were so many that the facilities department couldnt empty them alone. And back closer to the coast, Coastal Carolina in Conway had 229 cases andFrancis Marion 184. Other large schools, including the College of Charleston and Clemson, responded quickly and provided information for free. This photo was included in one of the inspection reports obtained by The Post and Courier. Fruit that isn't eaten in time often develops nasty (but harmless) mold as it expires, for instance. The result is the most comprehensive look to date at mold in college dorms across South Carolina and how incidents here mirror problems nationwide. College students arent known for their stellar cleanliness. Contact us. It spread to the ceiling tiles in the hallway outside of her door. I review similar cases throughout South Carolina and will gladly discuss this with you in School officials here downplayed students concerns. My life is so much better now.. Toxin and bacterial presence are also potential contamination issues as well. Despite that challenge, Kennedy said we kind of know which buildings had the most mold problems based on work orders and staff experience. Copyright 2023, Michael Rubino. From dust and to crumbs and random organic particles, there will be a full buffet of items for this fungus. Additionally, with how easily mold spores and toxins move invisibly throughout the air, the contamination level could have made it to the other dorm rooms nearby. Mold can put a bit of a kink in that experience, though. Its a silent killer, said Anindya Chanda, a former University of South Carolina researcher who now heads a startup focusing on toxic mold chemistry. Issues can arise if these areas arent cleaned enough, deep cleaning rarely occurs, areas like the exhaust fans or other ventilation units arent regularly taken care of, or improper cleaning products and protocols are used to take care of any small mold spots. tbartelme@postandcourier.com Not taking care of the entire wet area from a leaky roof, using protocols to ensure mold doesnt have the opportunity to grow, or calling an air quality professional if necessary can lead to serious problems. We tried to get rid of the mold, doing research, cleaning, leaving the door open to reduce the moisture, she recalled. If they lapsed, even for a short time, condensation formed on the walls, he said. You have permission to edit this article. During his freshman year in 2019, Milliken was excited to land a room in College Lodge, a dorm along bustling Calhoun Street. (2021, October 14). Despite that large number, one USC housing official said she was surprised: She thought the number would be higher. For students, mold outbreaks add an unnecessary layer of stress that can disrupt their studies, or worse. Not keeping up with building maintenance can easily lead to mold growth. , Post and Courier, an Evening Post Publishing Newspaper Group. SOUTH DAKOTA REPORTS FIRST FLU DEATH OF SEASON. Davis, L., & Honker, C. (2019, October 8). Mold growth should be handled quickly so as to avoid any health issues from poor air quality and exposure as well as to prevent further spread in the building. __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"62516":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default Palette","value":{"colors":{"62516":{"val":"var(--tcb-skin-color-0)"}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"f3080":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1},"f2bba":{"name":"Main Light 10","parent":"f3080"},"trewq":{"name":"Main Light 30","parent":"f3080"},"poiuy":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"f83d7":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"frty6":{"name":"Main Light 45","parent":"f3080"},"flktr":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default","value":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":"rgb(232, 227, 198)"},"f2bba":{"val":"rgba(231, 226, 197, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":50,"l":0.84,"s":0.42}},"trewq":{"val":"rgba(231, 226, 197, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":50,"l":0.84,"s":0.42}},"poiuy":{"val":"rgba(231, 226, 197, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":50,"l":0.84,"s":0.42}},"f83d7":{"val":"rgba(231, 226, 197, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":50,"l":0.84,"s":0.42}},"frty6":{"val":"rgba(231, 226, 197, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":50,"l":0.84,"s":0.42}},"flktr":{"val":"rgba(231, 226, 197, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":50,"l":0.84,"s":0.42}}},"gradients":[]},"original":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":"rgb(23, 23, 22)","hsl":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09}},"f2bba":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.5}},"trewq":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.7}},"poiuy":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.35}},"f83d7":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.4}},"frty6":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.2}},"flktr":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.8}}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, Mold in College Dorms, The Toxic College Roommate, Temperature (most enjoy a balmy 40-90 degrees Fahrenheit), Food (like raccoons, they eat almost anything). 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