Legal Question in Construction Law in Colorado
mold/ property damages and personal injury
Complicated situation, new const. home we bought in 7/05. Began having water intrusion in 10/05. Builder attempted repairs, gave letter stating it would be fixed. In 3/07 house began leaking again. We have thousands$ in damage. Builder says 1 yr warr. is up, and is now non-responsive. Our insurance finally paid for interior, but we have mold, cert. inspect. report showed levels outside at 320, inside at 11,000!! Penicillium&Aspergillius Daughter diagnosed with pneumonia & developing asthma fungal infections nosebleeds dizziness eczema etc. Mold has been removed at our $ & We $ an attorney to send a letter to the builder and the seller (also a lawyer). It has been 30 days,no response. In the meantime my husband has had to find the source of the leak, he has repaired the problem after spending numerous hours residing and putting tyvek on back of house. Shingle siding didnt overlap at top of home, damage on all 3 levels. Can we sue for medical damages, pain and suffering for my daughter, and my husbands time in addition to the other expenses of mold remediation, testing, etc. We could not afford to hire a contractor to fix the outside of the home and insurance wouldn't pay 4 outside repairs due to const. defect, mold excl. on ins.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: mold/ property damages and personal injury
Yes, you absolutely have a right to recover damages against the builder and any other responsible parties such as subcontractors. You should act quickly, however, as Colorado has a two-year statute of limitations for many construction claims such as these. When the two-year period starts and stops requires complicated calculations, and you should speak with your attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
In response to your question about damages, if you prevailed in an action based on these facts, you would likely be able to recover the costs of investigating and repairing the property damage and mold, and for your loss of use of the property. Some or all of your husband's time could be included in the cost of repairs, at least to the extent that he performed work that you would have otherwise have had to pay a contractor to perform.
There are statutory restrictions that might preclude recovery for pain and suffering or other noneconomic losses due to water intrusion and mold. There is an exception, however, that could allow your daughter to recover compensation for pain and suffering due to the personal injuries she has suffered.
Please note that the above comments are generalizations based on similar cases I have handled. You should speak with your own attorney promptly about your specific situation, or email me directly if you would like to discuss the matter further.