Toxic Mold
The Institute of Medicine, at the request of the Center for Disease Control, completed a study of the relationship between damp indoor spaces, mold and related health problems.
Morgan & Morgan’s Insurance Litigation Group generally specializes in two types of mold claims. The first is when water is able to permeate a home owned by someone by way of a collapsed roof or broken pipe. Due to the overabundance of moisture, toxic mold tends to grow. When this sort of damage occurs, the homeowner’s insurance company may be liable to cover the cleanup, physical damage repair, and mold removal costs. Compensation for illnesses developed after exposure to mold may also be sought in a case like this.
The second claim deals with personal injury resulting from mold exposure suffered by tenants renting an apartment, condominium, or single-family duplex. Property damage is typically minimized because it is the landlord’s responsibility. If the tenant has renter’s insurance, the insurance company most likely will cover the removal of water and damage to the tenant’s personal items caused by mold. Tenants may also seek damages for mold related illnesses if they become sick after being exposed to toxic mold.
If water is not drained from an area for 48 hours, there is a good chance that some kind of mold growth will be evident. Although that mold may not be toxic, it doesn’t hurt to have a grasp of the basic facts about mold. Excessive water indoors is not a health hazard alone, but it is a component that will lead to unsafe situations if ignored. Damp areas inside the house are an open invitation to dust mites, microbe growth, cockroaches, rodents, and it may even set off a chemical reaction with building materials or furnishings. Toxic molds like penicillium, stachybotrys, cladosporium, and aspergillus will worsen air quality, exposing inhabitants an environment catering to allergies, respiratory illness, and other health related nuisances. These problems are often generated by mycotoxins and mold spores patrolling the air. Toxic mold has become a serious issue for homeowners and insurance providers alike.
One of the most favorable methods to determine whether your home has toxic mold is to get it tested. There are a number of companies that will test for toxic mold and offer various solutions if there is indeed a problem. Be sure to do some research before choosing a company to test your residence for mold; you want to select a company certified in sample collections that uses a licensed laboratory to evaluate the samples.
On behalf of the Center for Disease Control, the Institute of Medicine completed the most comprehensive study of the correlation between indoor moisture, mold, and the resulting health problems. The following summarizes what the Institute of Medicine was able to conclude:
- Sufficient Evidence of a Causal Relationship
- (no utcomes met this theory)
Sufficient Evidence of an Association
- Upper respiratory (nasal and throat) tract symptoms
- Asthma symptoms in sensitized asthmatic persons
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis in susceptible persons
- Coughing and wheezing
Limited or Suggestive Evidence of an Association
- Decreased respiratory problems in healthy children
- Dyspnea (difficulty breathing)
- Airflow hindrances in generally healthy subjects
- Mucous membrane irritation syndrome
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Inhalation fevers (non work-related exposure)
- Rheumatologic and other diseases attacking the immune system
- Acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage among babies
- Skin problems
- Onset of asthma
- Gastrointestinal tract complications
- Exhaustion
- Neuropsychiatric symptoms
- Cancer
- Reproductive implications
Inadequate or Insufficient Evidence to Determine Whether an Association Exists
* For mold or bacteria in damp indoor environments
*These results are not relevant when taking subjects with compromised immune systems into consideration. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or AIDS patients are especially more inclined to become infected by mycotoxins given off by various molds.
There are numerous claims regarding toxic mold contamination and the related insurance concerns not mentioned here. If you have further questions about toxic mold exposure, do not hesitate to contact our Insurance Litigation Group for a consultation free of charge about a possible mold claim.
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