Complaint Filed by Law Firm Hersh & Hersh Alleges Nearly 20 Workers Rendered Ill by Toxic Mold Found in San Benito County Government Building

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Complaint Filed by Law Firm Hersh & Hersh Alleges Nearly 20 Workers Rendered Ill by Toxic Mold Found in San

Benito County Government Building

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Complaint Filed by Law Firm Hersh & Hersh Alleges Nearly 20 Workers Rendered Ill by Toxic Mold Found in San

Benito County Government Building

CALIFORNIA, HOLLISTER, Jan. 14 -/E-Wire/Business Wire/-- San Francisco plaintiff rights law firm Hersh & Hersh today announced that it has filed 18 individual complaints so far on behalfof employees of the San Benito County Department of Child Support Services, based in Hollister. Each complaint, filed in San Benito County Superior Court, states that the one-story office building, located at 220 San Felipe Road, has been a breeding ground for dangerous toxic mold due to chronic water intrusion and leakage. Hersh & Hersh alleges that because of neglect and faulty building maintenance, air quality inside the premises -- and the health and well being of Hersh & Hersh plaintiffs -- have been adversely affected.

"California law requires landlords to maintain their premises in a safe and sanitary condition and to remedy known health hazards," said Charles Kelly II, Hersh & Hersh attorney representing San Benito County plaintiffs. "We believe this is a case in which the landlord is being negligent and not looking out for the health and welfare of its tenants."

Hersh & Hersh attorneys contend that county employees had notified the building owner and landlord, Lawrence Family LLC on numerous occasions complaining that the hazardous fungal growth was causing a range of health problems including respiratory, sinus, gastro-intestinal, and skin rashes -- even neurological damage -- prior to filing the complaints. But despite employees' persistent efforts Lawrence Family has failed to perform the necessary repairs even though they promised to do so. Moreover, attorneys argue, employees have suffered the loss of earnings and will continue to incur medical expenses precipitated by the harmful exposure.

According to the World Health Organization, countless cases have been reported and it now estimates that one out of three employees is working in a place that is making them sick and it is costing businesses billions each year in lost productivity. Locally, the California Legislature has addressed the "sick building" problem in the last 12 months by appointing a taskforce to identify standards and ultimately provide guidelines to building owners, landlords and contractors.

Hersh & Hersh has identified a particular fungus in the Hollister building as stachybotrys, which is becoming more common in homes and buildings within the United States and Canada. Stachybotrys is a greenish black mold that typically grows on building materials such as wood, ceiling tile, drywall, insulation backing, cardboard boxes, paper files, etc. when these items become water damaged. The fungus tends to proliferate in very wet or high humid conditions due to plumbing leaks or water leaking through foundations. Many experts agree, in fact, that once a building has been contaminated with this fungus, it is extremely difficult to remediate it.

Lawrence Family has until February 8 to respond to complaints filed by Hersh & Hersh.

Hersh & Hersh is a San Francisco-based law firm dedicated to protecting the safety and rights of consumers. The law firm represents clients both on an individual level and in class and multi-district litigation, and has pursued and won a wide range of civil suits, from product liability, medical malpractice and insurance bad faith to sexual harassment and employee discrimination. For the past 32 years, Hersh & Hersh has been committed to using the law to protect individuals by making sure companies exercise due diligence in manufacturing their products and operate in good faith in delivering their services.

Hersh & Hersh, Shelly Gordon, 650/856-1607 (Press), [REDACTED-EMAIL];

Lisa Byrne, 415/221-5018 (Press), [REDACTED-EMAIL]

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