Another day in our fight for JUSTICE

Roberts & Durkee is currently helping Florida’s homeowners with their problems with toxic Chinese drywall. We are being flooded with calls and e-mails from worried homeowners throughout the state who are seeking answers and help, and we are responding to all their inquiries and traveling to their communities to personally answer their questions. Please continue to check our blog, as we will provide regular updates about what the Florida Department of Health has called the “Chinese drywall phenomenon.” Today was just another long day trying to help folks who have toxic Chinese drywall. Currently, our firm has our team of experts on the West coast of Florida. This team has begun to do three different types of tests in each home. The first test is an actual test of the drywall. Our test for the drywall is basically the same test that the Florida Department of Health chose to do when they initially tested drywall in Florida. The second and third tests are air quality tests. These tests will identify any toxins in the air and the level of these toxins. We expert this same team of experts to begin testing on the East coast on Thursday. I also spent another day speaking with people from around the state who have just begun to realize the type of problem that they are dealing with. I have spoken to families from Tallahassee to Homestead. The list of areas where this problem has surfaced grows each day. It is terribly sad to talk to a school teacher who is on a limited budget, who played by the rules by placing a large down payment on his home, and who now realizes that his home is toxic. He can’t afford to find a new place to live, he is to proud to simply walk away from his home, and he simply can’t afford to lose the money he has placed in this home. As a result, he has decided that his only option is to stay in his toxic home. Stay in a toxic home and worry each day about his children’s health and well being. During the past week, I was able to speak with Senator Nelson and his office. One of the most important issues that we discussed was when did this tragedy begin. Senator Nelson’s legislation, the “Drywall Safety Act of 2009,” deals only with drywall that was imported from China during the period from 2004 through 2007. However, I have inspected homes that were built in 2001 that have clear indications of toxic Chinese drywall. As a result, we will be working with Senator Nelson’s office to try and effectuate this change to the legislation before it is passed. Hopefully all of these efforts will help to bring justice to people affected by this terrible tragedy.