Hundreds in Fla. want out of Chinese drywall deal

Class Action News

Hundreds of Floridians potentially want to opt out of a proposed $55 million federal settlement over faulty Chinese drywall in hopes of pursuing individual lawsuits in state courts, the attorney for two families said Wednesday.

The lawyer, David Durkee, said a key hearing Friday in Broward County could be a major step in determining whether people dissatisfied with the class-action settlement can take their cases before juries in Florida courts.

"They don't want any part of that settlement," Durkee said. "They have chosen state court. They want to proceed individually and they want their day in court."

The settlement, first announced in June, involves Banner Supply Co., a major distributor of Chinese drywall, and thousands of affected homeowners, builders, installers and others in Florida. U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon in New Orleans - where lawsuits in several states were consolidated for pretrial purposes - gave the deal preliminary approval in July.

Thousands of homes mainly in the South were affected by installation of Chinese drywall that has a foul odor, can corrode wiring and metal in appliances and cause health problems. The Banner settlement involves mostly Floridians.

Fallon also ordered a temporary halt to drywall lawsuits filed against Banner in state court. The hearing Friday before Broward County Circuit Judge Charles Greene concerns whether cases filed by the families represented by Durkee can proceed despite the federal order and settlement.

Related listings

  • Shareholder class action hits Leighton

    Shareholder class action hits Leighton

    Class Action News 09/01/2011

    Shareholders set to take legal action against Leighton over alleged failures to properly report a $907 million turnaround in financial performance. Law firm Maurice Blackburn on Thursday said it intended to launch a class action against the company, ...

  • Shareholder Class Action Filed Against WebMD Health Corp.

    Shareholder Class Action Filed Against WebMD Health Corp.

    Class Action News 08/30/2011

    The following statement was issued today by the law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP: Notice is hereby given that a class action lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of pu...

  • Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP Announces Class Action Lawsuits

    Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP Announces Class Action Lawsuits

    Class Action News 08/26/2011

    The law firm of Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP is investigating potential securities law violations as alleged in class action lawsuits brought on behalf of all purchasers of American Depository Shares (“ADS”) of SinoTech Energy Limite...

Illinois Work Injury Lawyers – Krol, Bongiorno & Given, LTD.

Accidents in the workplace are often caused by unsafe work conditions arising from ignoring safety rules, overlooking maintenance or other negligence of those in management. While we are one of the largest firms in Illinois dedicated solely to the representation of injured workers, we pride ourselves on the personal, one-on-one approach we deliver to each client.

Work accidents can cause serious injuries and sometimes permanent damage. Some extremely serious work injuries can permanently hinder a person’s ability to get around and continue their daily duties. Factors that affect one’s quality of life such as place of work, relationships with friends and family, and social standing can all be taken away quickly by a work injury. Although, you may not be able to recover all of your losses, you may be entitled to compensation as a result of your work injury. Krol, Bongiorno & Given, LTD. provides informed advocacy in all kinds of workers’ compensation claims, including:

• Injuries to the back and neck, including severe spinal cord injuries
• Serious head injuries
• Heart problems resulting from workplace activities
• Injuries to the knees, elbows, shoulders and other joints
• Injuries caused by repetitive movements

For Illinois Workers’ Compensation claims, you will ALWAYS cheat yourself if you do not hire an experienced attorney. When you hire Krol, Bongiorno & Given, Ltd, you will have someone to guide you through the process, and when it is time to settle, we will add value to your case IN EXCESS of our fee. In the last few years, employers and insurance carriers have sought to advance the argument that when you settle a case without an attorney, your already low settlement should be further reduced by 20% so that you do not get a “windfall.” Representing yourself in Illinois is a lose-lose proposition.

Business News

St Peters, MO Professional License Attorney Attorney John Lynch has been the go-to choice for many professionals facing administrative sanction. >> read