In the past few years, mold, the familiar household nuisance, has also become a legal liability. Consider the 1999 lawsuit brought by Melinda Ballard in Texas against her insurance company. Ballard claimed mold in her family's home and subsequent delays by the insurer resulted in health-related problems for her family. In 2001, the court awarded her $32 million to replace her home and furnishings, and to cover both punitive damages and lawyers' fees.
展开▼
