Chinese Drywall

In 2009, Partner Ervin A. Gonzalez was selected by Federal Judge Eldon Fallon to serve on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the Chinese drywall multidistrict litigation, representing hundreds of homeowners who were victims of high-sulfur Chinese drywall linked to odor and metal corrosion in new home construction. He was one of 15 lawyers selected to the PSC.

We have recovered multiple awards from those affected by the defective Chinese drywall, including:

• $2.5 million verdict for a Miami couple in the first such case in the nation. A jury ruled that Banner Supply Company sold drywall knowing that it had serious defects, and that it had a secret agreement with Knauf Plasterboard Tianjian, a manufacturer, to keep knowledge of the defect from others.
• $55 million settlement for a class of Florida homeowners affected by the defective drywall.
• $600 million to $1 billion global settlement for homeowners nationwide.