An important Chinese drywall lawsuit deadline is now only two days away. By Wednesday, December 2, Chinese drywall claimants whose homes were built with wallboard made by Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. must sign on to an omnibus class action lawsuit if they want to take advantage of an agreement that will greatly streamline the litigation process.

Knauf is one of several Chinese drywall manufacturers accused in a private class action lawsuit pending in federal court in Louisiana, of importing defective drywall into the United States during the recent housing boom. The company has agreed to accept service of a single lawsuit that will be filed on December 9, 2009 in the Louisiana federal court. » More: Chinese Drywall Lawsuit Deadline Set for Wednesday

The Chinese drywall investigation is being expanded because of allegations that some wallboard produced in the U.S. is causing similar odor and corrosion problems. According to the Associated Press, of roughly 2,100 drywall complaints received by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), about 25 involve homeowners who reported issues with American wallboard.

The problems alleged to have occurred in homes with American wallboard are similar to those attributed to Chinese drywall: a rotten-egg odor that makes occupants sick, corrosion of copper pipes, and ruined TVs and air conditioners. And like the Chinese drywall debacle, the purported problems have sparked lawsuits against American firms, including National Gypsum and Atlanta-based Georgia-Pacific Corp. » More: Chinese Drywall Probe Also Looking at Domestic Wallboard

Chinese drywall victims whose homes were built with wallboard manufactured by Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co., Ltd are just one week away from a make-or-break deadline. They have until December 2, 2009 to join an omnibus class action lawsuit that will be filed against Knauf on December 9. Knauf Plasterboard has agreed to waive its rights under The Hague Convention for the Service of Process Abroad for homeowners who sign on to this lawsuit by the December 2 deadline.

Chinese drywall homeowners with potential claims against Knauf Plasterboard will have to abide by the Hague Convention if they don’t make the deadline, but still want to file suit against the company. The Hague Convention for the Service of Process Abroad requires claimants to pay approximately $15,000 per lawsuit, which allows for the translation of legal documents into Chinese and to have them presented to the appropriate authorities in China to obtain service on the Chinese drywall manufacturers. These requirements are obviously a huge obstacle to Chinese drywall claimants, and Knauf’s offer to waive them will greatly streamline the litigation process for plaintiffs who make the deadline. » More: Chinese Drywall Victims Face Knauf Plasterboard Lawsuit Deadline Next Week

There have been some important Chinese drywall developments in recent days. A date has been chosen for the first federal trial involving Chinese drywall lawsuits, and federal regulators have finally tied the tainted wallboard to corrosion seen in homes. What’s more, an important deadline for filing a lawsuit against a major Chinese drywall manufacturer is just days away.

U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, who is overseeing the massive Chinese drywall litigation currently underway in New Orleans, has scheduled the first trial for January 25, 2010. Seven Virginia homes built with drywall manufactured by Taishan Gypsum Co. Ltd., a company controlled by the Chinese government, will be the focus of the trial. Earlier this fall, Taishan was issued a default judgment by Judge Fallon for failing to respond to Chinese drywall lawsuits. » More: Chinese Drywall Lawsuits, Investigation Make Major Progress

A Chinese drywall report released today by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has linked the material to high levels of hydrogen sulfide in homes, as well as corrosion of metals in those homes. The report, which has been highly anticipated, comes just over a week before some Chinese drywall victims face an important deadline for filing suit against a major manufacturer of Chinese drywall.

According to a statement from the CPSC, results from a major indoor air study of 51 homes, along with initial reports from two studies of corrosion in homes with Chinese drywall, confirmed that the presence of hydrogen sulfide is the essential component that causes copper and silver sulfide corrosion found in the complaint homes. Other factors, including air exchange rates, formaldehyde and other air contaminants contribute to the reported problems. » More: Chinese Drywall Study Finds Link Between Defective Wallboard, Corrosion

More results of Chinese drywall testing conducted as part of the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission’s (CPSC) massive investigation are expected to be released next week. The highly anticipated report will arrive just days before an important lawsuit deadline arrives for some Chinese drywall homeowners.

The next round of test results will address the corrosion of copper wires and other metals in homes with Chinese drywall – whether this is being caused by fumes from the wallboard, and whether the corrosion of wiring poses a fire hazard. The CPSC is also expected to release results of tests done on indoor-air samples collected from about 50 U.S. homes with Chinese drywall. » More: Chinese Drywall Test Results Due Monday

A Chinese drywall bill just introduced in the U.S. Congress would prohibit insurers from dropping or changing policies on homes built with tainted Chinese drywall. According to The Bradenton Herald, the Chinese drywall insurance bill is being sponsored by Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-La.

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has received about 1,897 reports from residents in 30 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico concerning Chinese drywall. Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. » More: Chinese Drywall Insurance Bill Proposed, Lawsuit Deadline Nears

The number of firms offering Chinese drywall “solutions” has exploded in recent months, prompting a group of U.S. Senators to ask the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to crack down on such scams. It’s important to remember that no Chinese drywall remediation or testing protocols have been established as yet, so any claims that a particular company has found a fix for the Chinese drywall problem are questionable at best.

In a letter to FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz, Senators Mary Landrieu, (D-La), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), David Vitter (R-La.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.), raised concerns about deceptive practices that prey on consumers with defective drywall and asked the Commission to fully investigate and prosecute companies engaging in these activities. » More: Chinese Drywall Repair Fraud Prompts Call for Crackdown

The Chinese drywall crisis, and the litigation surrounding it, is set to enter a new phase this month. With potential plaintiffs in Chinese drywall lawsuits facing an important deadline in a few weeks, a federal judge will soon be scheduling the first lawsuits for trial. And in the coming weeks, federal investigators should know more about the what, if any, safety hazards, the corrosion blamed on Chinese drywall fumes may pose.

By December 2, any Chinese drywall victim whose home was built with wallboard made by Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. needs to join the omnibus Chinese drywall lawsuit against the company that will be filed on December 9. Knauf has agreed to waive its rights under The Hague Convention for the Service of Process Abroad for homeowners who sign on to this lawsuit by the deadline. The December 2 deadline is a hard deadline, and the omnibus complaint will not be amended at a later date to add more people. Claimants will also face a second deadline – December 14 – by which time they must have filled out a profile form. » More: Chinese Drywall Lawsuits, Investigation Gaining Momentum

Some Chinese drywall victims in Louisiana could eventually get a bit of financial help from the state. According to the Associated Press, the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) yesterday voted unanimously to back a $5 million plan to help Road Home program recipients who have tainted Chinese drywall. The aid package still must be approved by the Louisiana legislature and federal authorities before it can begin.

The LRA was established in 2005 following hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and provided funds through the Road Home program to residents for rebuilding. Much of the rebuilding done with Road Home funding involved the use of Chinese drywall. » More: Chinese Drywall Aid Set Aside in Louisiana

Chinese drywall victims whose homes were built with wallboard manufactured by Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co., Ltd are just weeks away from a make-or-break deadline. They have until December 2, 2009 to join an omnibus class action lawsuit that will be filed against Knauf on December 9. Knauf has agreed to waive its rights under The Hague Convention for the Service of Process Abroad for homeowners who sign on to this lawsuit by the December 2 deadline.

The December 2 deadline is a hard deadline, and the omnibus complaint will not be amended at a later date to add more people. Claimants will also face a second deadline – December 14 – by which time they must have filled out a profile form. » More: Chinese Drywall Omnibus Lawsuit Deadline Just Weeks Away

Chinese drywall is not a covered peril under homeowners’ insurance polices, according to the Florida Insurance Commissioner. Speaking to state legislators, Kevin McCarty warned that insurers have no obligation to cover defective Chinese drywall.

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has received about 1,897 reports from residents in 30 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico concerning Chinese drywall. Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. » More: Florida Insurance Commissioner Says Chinese Drywall Not Covered Under Homeowners’ Policies

Chinese drywall will be on President Barack Obama’s agenda when he makes his first state visit to China, according to one U.S. Senator. Chinese drywall will be on President Barack Obama’s agenda when he makes his first state visit to China, according to one U.S. Senator. According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, said on Friday that he would like Obama to directly discuss the Chinese drywall issue with Chinese President Hu Jintao, but would consider staff-level discussions of the topic to be satisfactory.

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has received about 1,897 reports from residents in 30 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico concerning Chinese drywall. Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. » More: President Will Address Chinese Drywall During State Visit, Senator Says

If you have Chinese drywall in your home that was manufactured by Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co., Ltd., you only have until December 2 to join an omnibus class action lawsuit against Knauf. To join this lawsuit, which will be filed on December 9, you must submit proof that your home contains Knauf manufactured drywall to the Plaintiffs’ Lead Counsel in the Chinese drywall multidistrict litigation, MDL 2047, by that date.

Parker Waichman Alonso LLP, the first law firm to file a federal Chinese drywall lawsuit, is offering assistance to any homeowner interested in joining the Knauf lawsuit. Free consultations are available through the firm’s website at www.yourlawyer.com, or by calling 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636). It is vitally important that you act today. » More: Chinese Drywall Claimants Have Until Dec. 2 to Join Knauf Plasterboard Omnibus Suit