A Florida couple who fled their dream home because of foul-smelling, ruinous Chinese drywall was awarded US$2.4 million in damages on Friday in the US’ first jury trial over the defective wallboard that could have legal ramifications for thousands of similar cases.
The six-person jury ruled that Armin and Lisa Seifart should receive more than just the costs of gutting and renovating their home: They were also awarded damages for loss of enjoyment of the US$1.6 million house and for the drywall stigma that might reduce its resale value.
The defendant, drywall distributor Banner Supply Co, is named in thousands of other US lawsuits. Attorneys in those cases, as well as many others pending nationwide against other companies, will look to the Seifart damage award as a guide for what kinds of damages they seek.
Defective, sulfur-emitting Chinese drywall has been linked to possible health problems along with a noxious odor, corrosion of wiring, plumbing, computers, plumbing and jewelry. Most of the problems have arisen in Florida, Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana in homes built during the housing boom and some damaged during the busy 2005 hurricane season.
The Seifarts, who have two young sons, left their five-bedroom home in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood last year so it could be gutted and renovated. Their attorney, Ervin Gonzalez, said the couple was not told of problems with the drywall in March 2008 when they moved in.
“Their dream home turned into a nightmare,” Gonzalez said.
The Seifarts accused Banner of concealing knowledge it had as early as 2006 that the drywall was defective, including recommendations from manufacturer Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin that the wallboards should not be used. Many of those details emerged in this trial after a confidential agreement between Banner and Knauf was unsealed.
“It was important to send a message to companies that they should do the right thing when the health of the public is at stake,” Armin Seifart said after the verdict.
“I feel that justice was done,” Lisa Seifart added.
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