Judge Finalizes Largest Award For Toxic Mold Case
Family To Get $2.7 Million
POSTED: 5:43 p.m. PST November 8, 2001
UPDATED: 6:46 p.m. PST November 8, 2001
SACRAMENTO -- A Sacramento judge finalized Thursday a jury decision in the largest verdict ever awarded in a personal injury toxic mold case. But getting a win meant taking a legal road less traveled.
Many times in toxic mold cases, victims are awarded money for property damage, but this time, the family involved was able to prove to a jury that they were physically injured by toxic mold. Their lawyer said that the case might change the way toxic mold cases are handled.
After a two-week trial, the judge finalized a jury's decision to award the Mazza family more than $2.7 million in their personal injury toxic mold case.
"I think that it really sends the message that if these cases go to a jury, a jury agrees the science is there, the medicine is there, that toxic molds are very harmful to people and cause people to lose their jobs, be hospitalized and significantly affect their lives," attorney John C. Miller said.
The Mazza's toxic mold problem happened at Sacramento's Partridge Point Apartments. They said that they started getting seriously sick after living there for six months. They had to move out, leaving everything they owned behind. They said that they had to pay even more rent and wound up with nearly $125,000 in medical bills.
The Mazza's wanted the apartment complex to reimburse them for their belongings and moving expenses.
"That was our initial thought. We want to get moved out and reimbursed. That's all we wanted," Darren Mazza said.
But the Mazza's said that the complex refused. So they took legal action and were willing to settle out of court. Again the complex refused, and the case went to trial -- a trial that Daren Mazza said that he couldn't believe is finally over after all that he, his wife and 8-year-old son Bryce have been through.
"I could not believe what I was hearing. I couldn't believe it. We were all emotional and teary. Even the jurors were crying," Mazza said.
The Mazza's have now started over, buying furniture and belongings little by little. They said that this whole thing has not been about the money but about winning a precedent setting case that will now help other toxic mold victims.
"It's just good for the future people. It took us, I guess, to set this for them people in the future, they can not be treated the way we were treated for two years,"
KCRA 3 Reports tried to get an interview with the lawyer representing Partridge Point Apartment's owners and managers Thursday. He said that he and his clients had no comment.
The defendants have not said yet if they plan to appeal the case.
Many times in toxic mold cases, victims are awarded money for property damage, but this time, the family involved was able to prove to a jury that they were physically injured by toxic mold. Their lawyer said that the case might change the way toxic mold cases are handled.
After a two-week trial, the judge finalized a jury's decision to award the Mazza family more than $2.7 million in their personal injury toxic mold case.
"I think that it really sends the message that if these cases go to a jury, a jury agrees the science is there, the medicine is there, that toxic molds are very harmful to people and cause people to lose their jobs, be hospitalized and significantly affect their lives," attorney John C. Miller said.
The Mazza's toxic mold problem happened at Sacramento's Partridge Point Apartments. They said that they started getting seriously sick after living there for six months. They had to move out, leaving everything they owned behind. They said that they had to pay even more rent and wound up with nearly $125,000 in medical bills.
The Mazza's wanted the apartment complex to reimburse them for their belongings and moving expenses.
"That was our initial thought. We want to get moved out and reimbursed. That's all we wanted," Darren Mazza said.
But the Mazza's said that the complex refused. So they took legal action and were willing to settle out of court. Again the complex refused, and the case went to trial -- a trial that Daren Mazza said that he couldn't believe is finally over after all that he, his wife and 8-year-old son Bryce have been through.
"I could not believe what I was hearing. I couldn't believe it. We were all emotional and teary. Even the jurors were crying," Mazza said.
The Mazza's have now started over, buying furniture and belongings little by little. They said that this whole thing has not been about the money but about winning a precedent setting case that will now help other toxic mold victims.
"It's just good for the future people. It took us, I guess, to set this for them people in the future, they can not be treated the way we were treated for two years,"
KCRA 3 Reports tried to get an interview with the lawyer representing Partridge Point Apartment's owners and managers Thursday. He said that he and his clients had no comment.
The defendants have not said yet if they plan to appeal the case.
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