Lumber Liquidators Hit With Class Action Lawsuit Over Toxic Floors

A group of plaintiffs from California, Florida, and Michigan are suing Lumber Liquidators for allegedly selling them dangerous wood flooring.

Plaintiffs Lila and Laura W., Ryan and Kristin B., and Kenneth and Casandra B. allege in their Lumber Liquidators class action lawsuit that they bought this wood flooring through the company’s retail website and were not told of the dangerous formaldehyde levels.

Each pair of plaintiffs allege in their Lumber Liquidator class action lawsuits that they bought the flooring for home furnishing or remodeling purposes, while being completely unaware that the company had sold them hazardous flooring.

Allegedly, each couple had purchased these wood flooring products that were manufactured in China while being labeled as compliant with California state formaldehyde regulations. This was proven false, as the wood far exceeded the California Air Regulation Board (CARB) levels, which is to set a standard of safe exposure levels to formaldehyde, according to the Lumber Liquidators lawsuit.

Overview of Lumber Liquidators Allegations

The first pair of plaintiffs hail from Washington state, the mother-daughter pair of Lila and Laura. They first had the defendant’s wood flooring installed in their home in October 2014, after purchasing 300 square feet at a Lumber Liquidators store located in San Jose, Calif.

After having the wood installed, the pair began noticing that they were experiencing odd symptoms of coughing and wheezing, and were shocked to discover the “60 Minutes” documentary focusing on Lumber Liquidators and their allegedly high formaldehyde wood products.

They must now have to consider getting their flooring replaced, and allegedly be on the lookout for any signs of lung cancer or other health hazards. Lila has been battling a previous cancer diagnosis and had chosen Lumber Liquidators’ wood flooring with her daughter because they believed it would be safer than most wood flooring products.

Kenneth and Casandra of Michigan purchased 1,500 square feet of laminate flooring at a Lumber Liquidators store located in Grand Rapids in March 2013. They were also not aware of the high formaldehyde levels in the China-made wood flooring.

Previously, Kenneth had worked as a service representative for a flooring company before he retired and is well aware of the emissions standards for formaldehyde. He was also diagnosed with cancer several years ago, and had purchased the wood flooring with his wife, believing it was safer than most other products.

Soon after installing the wood flooring, the couple began experiencing symptoms akin to formaldehyde exposure and did not discover the reason until learning of the “60 Minutes” special on Lumber Liquidators. The couple now must replace the wood flooring and monitor themselves for any sign of cancer associated with formaldehyde.

Ryan and Kristin, from Florida, purchased their Lumber Liquidators wood flooring in August 2014. They purchased 370 square feet from the Lumber Liquidators store located in Fort Meyers. At the time, Kristin had been pregnant with the couple’s first child and had purchased the defendant’s product under the impression that it had safe formaldehyde levels.

This wood flooring was specifically used for the baby’s room. The couple is very experienced with building material hazards, as Kristin’s father was a general contractor and her husband had worked with him on several projects in the past. They are very aware of the dangers formaldehyde poses.

The couple was shocked when they learned of the “60 Minutes” report about Lumber Liquidators selling dangerous laminated wood. After having the wood tested by an independent contractor, the couple confirmed that the level of formaldehyde had exceeded CARB standards.

When they complained about this to Lumber Liquidators, the sales representative stated that the test was surely false and that the couple should have used an air measuring kit, which could have been purchased through the Lumber Liquidators. The couple has allegedly not been able to use the room, and is looking into having the wood flooring replaced.

Each couple is seeking monetary compensation for having to replace the wood flooring and for committing false and misleading advertisements to sell the dangerous wood.

While CARB is a California state regulation, it may be adopted by the federal Environmental Protection Agency because its standards are amongst the most comprehensive in the country.

Additionally, Lumber Liquidators had been allegedly engaging in false or misleading marketing practices throughout the country, putting millions of consumers at risk.

This Lumber Liquidators Class Action Lawsuit is Case No. 5:15-cv-01475, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose Division.

UPDATE: Several Lumber Liquidators class action lawsuits were consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (MDL), or mass tort, and transferred to a Virginia federal court by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML), alleging that the flooring company sold wood floors containing toxic levels of formaldehyde.

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