2 Homeowners Join Lumber Liquidators Litigation Battle

Lumber Liquidators continues to face litigation as numerous potential class action lawsuits are filed against them. These claims similarly allege that the company sold laminate flooring that contained illegal levels of toxic formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is a chemical used by many manufacturing companies for building materials, resins, household products, and is a common embalming agent. Another common use of this chemical is for lamination on wood floors; wood flooring typically contains a small level of formaldehyde, which differs by state standards. While formaldehyde is a chemical commonly used for laminate flooring, it is classified as a probable carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This means that this chemical has been determined to cause cancer in humans. Despite this health concern, federal law does allow certain levels for formaldehyde in wood flooring, but violating the standard could result in severe fines.

Each state has different acceptable levels of formaldehyde to be in wood, with California being one of the strictest. Formaldehyde is what binds the wood particles together as the floor is laminated, so small amounts of this chemical are often released into the air. The level of exposure typically depends on the amount of formaldehyde in the wood, as well as how much carcinogen in the glue, and how well-ventilated the home is.

Overview of Lumber Liquidators Allegations

In the past few days, two Lumber Liquidators class action lawsuits have been filed by Nevada residents, Rosie O. and fellow plaintiff Jacqueline S. Both of these women claim that they purchased the allegedly toxic wood flooring from Lumber Liquidators, and were not aware of the allegedly high levels of formaldehyde at the time of purchase. They claim they are risk from the toxic levels of the laminate flooring.

According to the Lumber Liquidators flooring lawsuit, Rosie installed approximately 700 ft of laminate wood flooring from Lumber Liquidators, and noticed that she and her dog started suffering health problems soon after. Specifically, she noticed that their eyes would often water, and that her husband had developed respiratory problems. It was not until she saw the television show, “60 Minutes,” which aired a special on Lumber Liquidators and their Chinese-made laminate flooring focusing on the levels of formaldehyde in this wood, that she became aware of the problem.

As for Jacqueline, she also recently installed 59 boxes of laminate flooring in her vacation home in Orlando, Fla. When she noticed her young son experiencing odd symptoms she was prompted to call Lumber Liquidators to complain about the strong chemical smell of the flooring. The defendant allegedly responded by telling Jacqueline not to be concerned with it. However, she became concerned when she also watched the “60 Minutes” segment.

According to spectating legal experts, these women are just two examples of a large group of homeowners who watched the “60 Minutes” special and subsequently became concerned over potential health hazards. To reiterate the televised report, Lumber Liquidators allegedly imported cheap wood flooring from China and sold it in California, despite the formaldehyde levels being far too high for state safety standards. Experts estimate that thousands of homeowners across the United States purchased and installed the contaminated wood flooring, due to the economic-friendly prices of the products.

A number of states across America have launched their own investigations into the Lumber Liquidators allegations, with both the New York and Connecticut attorney generals recently announcing probes into the company’s products and business practices. California is considering launching its own inquiry. In response to these allegations, Lumber Liquidators denies all wrongdoing and claims that not only are their wood flooring products safe, but also high quality.

However, the litigation movement continues to go forward as the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPMDL) announced earlier this month that it is seeking to consolidate all Lumber Liquidators lawsuits. If this is successful, then the flooring lawsuits will be under one judge for pretrial proceedings, which could speed up the litigation process considerably.

Join a Free Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you purchased laminate flooring from Lumber Liquidators, you may have a legal claim. Join a free class action lawsuit investigation to see if you qualify.

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