Repeated Exposure to Toxic Mold Causes Serious Injury
If there’s one thing the state of Florida has plenty of, it’s water. We have to dig out massive canals and lakes just to drain enough of the stuff so that we don’t have to live ankle deep in water. There’s even so much water in the air that four of Florida’s cities have placed among the most humid in the entire country.
If there’s one thing that loves this much water, it’s mold. With all this moisture and humidity creeping into the cracks and crevasses of buildings, there is an increased need of awareness of mold control and prevention or else someone could sustain a serious injury.
The Basics of Mold
Most people will know the simple facts about mold. It’s a fungus that breaks down decomposing matter to eat, it releases little spores into the air to reproduce, it thrives in damp and dark areas and exposure to certain kinds can cause injuries. That much is made pretty clear by common knowledge.
What isn’t common knowledge is exactly how mold injures you, exactly which molds injure you, and other useful but unknown bits of info.
Exposure to Mold
It comes as a surprise to most that almost everyone has much more exposure to mold than they realize. Most humans are exposed to molds almost every day of the week. There’s no need to start dialing you doctor’s number; out of roughly 1,000 north american species, the majority of molds that humans encounter in their daily lives are actually quite harmless to the average healthy human in small amounts.
On the other hand if you are not exactly the average healthy human, then you have reason to be wary. People with respiratory issues and people with weakened immune systems like those suffering from AIDS or HIV, recent organ transplant recipients, the elderly, and newborns have a much higher chance of having issues with mold exposure.
While people are exposed to molds quite often, it is usually in very small amounts and they are of a fairly benign variety. When someone is exposed to a large infestation of mold on a regular basis in a place they frequent or live, then they stand to suffer injury from mold exposure.
Injury From Mold Exposure
The health effects of mold can differ greatly in intensity from individual to individual. One person can walk into a room with some mold spores and only suffer a bit of a cough while another can keel over wheezing and unable to breath. The extent of effect and injury depends on the person, location, length of exposure, intensity of exposure, and the species of mold. There are four ways that exposure to mold can injure someone.
- Allergic Reaction: The most common kind of reaction to mold spores is with an overly aggressive immune system response characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, runny, or stuffy nose, cough and postnasal drip, itchy eyes, nose and throat, watery eyes, and dry scaly skin. Sometimes the allergy can be severe enough that exaggerated symptoms result in the need for emergency care.
- Irritant effects: There are some people that are especially sensitive to molds and display symptoms such as nasal and sinus irritation or congestion, dry hacking cough, wheezing, skin rashes or burning, and watery or reddened eyes. Ultimately they do not suffer permanent damage if the mold is dealt with promptly and they are no longer exposed.
- Toxic Effects: Certain kinds of molds such as the Stachybotrys Chartarum or “black mold” as it’s more commonly known, can cause serious injury to respiratory systems that breathe in spores that produce dangerous mycotoxins. Prolonged exposure can lead to a number of respiratory complications that can severely damage the lungs.
- Infection: People with a history of respiratory issues are at high risk of lung infection caused by overexposure to molds. Infection has the potential to cause irreparable damage and even kill under certain circumstances.
Liability for a Mold Injury Claim
Due to mold being able to show up just about anywhere with moisture and darkness, liability for an injury sustained through mold exposure can be just as varied in scenario. The most important aspects of a mold injury claim are that there needs to be proof that exposure to mold that could have been prevented if not for the negligence of a liable party, led to significant injury sustained by the plaintiff.
This means a simple irritation caused by a brief period of exposure to light mold will not hold up as a claim. There needs to be a clear demonstration of negligence by a negligent party like a property owner or maintenance provider that resulted in a significant injury like a respiratory infection, or serious allergic reaction that would entitle someone to compensation.
Examples of a Mold Injury Claim
A good example would be if someone’s workspace was not properly cleaned and maintained which lead to the growth of mold that someone was exposed to everytime they worked. Their employer and whoever else was responsible for maintaining a clean environment would be liable should the repeated exposure to the mold growth cause a worker to sustain a significant injury like respiratory infection or a severe allergic response.
Mold Injury Claim Damages
Mold injury claims in the past have resulted in plaintiffs receiving significant compensation for damages including, medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, disability damages, and several other forms of damages caused by mold exposure caused injuries.
Seek an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
If you or a loved one have been injured through repeated contact with mold spores then do not hesitate to contact Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA about receiving a free consultation on your claim. Our skilled personal injury lawyers have the expertise you will need to secure the settlement that you deserve.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions. You can reach us in one of these 3 ways:
- Call Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA at (727) 451-6900
- Complete this online contact form
- Click the Live Chat button in the bottom right corner of this page
https://www.dolmanlaw.com/florida-personal-injury-lawyer/
