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Study a sign industry needs to focus on mold claims


June 6, 2004   by Canadian Underwriter


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A recent U.S. study on mold hailed by insurers for finding a lack of evidence mold causes serious injury should be a wake-up call to the industry, says Kyle Urech, directory of business development for Disaster Kleenup Canada.
In a letter to Canadian Underwriter, Urech says the study, conducted by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (IOM), could be a source of lawsuits based on the evidence that mold and indoor mold do cause other illnesses. While insurers in the U.S. were pleased the study found no evidence that mold causes asthma and other more serious injuries claimed by plaintiffs, Urech notes, “the study did find a direct link between damp indoor environments and upper respiratory tract symptoms (nasal and throat irritation), coughing, wheezing, and asthma symptoms in asthmatic”.
“While not the smoking gun that plaintiff lawyers desire, this study can only assist those seeking damages through the courts for water and mold related complaints,” he says.
He also notes the IOM finding that in time a methodology for testing the relationship between indoor moisture or mold and more serious illnesses. Urech points to work being conducted by Carleton University researcher Dr. J. David Miller on the significance of mold and moisture related illness. Dr. Miller finds that people spend about 92% of their time indoors, and 10-30% of homes have moisture problems, meaning there is great potential for chronic exposure. And for those with chronic symptoms of the kind associated with mold, often missed work and school is the result, suggesting the potential for significant socio-economic impact.
“It suggests to me that the insurance industry must remain vigilant in terms of knowing as much as possible about issues relating to water damage and mold, and that any exposure the industry has to such claims must be dealt with in a professional and consistent manner,” says Urech. “Insurers should take prudent steps to manage their own liability exposure in the event of such claims.”


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