The victims in the case, who own close to 5,000 properties, alleged that German manufacturer Knauf sold defective drywall that was installed in their homes. The toxic ingredients in the faulty imported products caused the plaintiffs a host of problems, ranging from the corrosion of plumbing and electrical systems to respiratory problems and other physical injuries. The final settlement, which will cover remediation of the affected properties and claims of personal injury and equity loss, is expected to be between $800 million and $1 billion. Read more about the groundbreaking settlement.
For Seeger Weiss LLP, the victory is one of many in a long and complicated battle against Knauf on behalf of several homeowners who have fallen victim to the manufacturer’s defective product. In 2009, founding partner Christopher Seeger along with Stephen J. Herman of Herman, Herman, Katz & Cotlar became the first to take KPT, a division of Knauf, to trial. In the bellwether verdict, the plaintiffs were awarded $164,049. Since then, Mr. Seeger has gone on to win close to $3 million for other victims of the toxic drywall.