Mold is a common fungus that grows indoors and outdoors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), common indoors molds include cladosporium, penicillium, alternaria and aspergillus. Mold forms in moist or humid areas of your home, such as bathrooms. The health effects from mold presence can vary. Individuals who are sensitive to mold growth or who have allergies or lung diseases may be especially affected. Testing whether mold is present in your home for a court case will require hiring a professional testing company. It can test for mold and provide a report.
Hire a mold testing company. It will inspect your house for the presence of mold. It can also test the mold to determine if it is a toxic variety such as Stachybotrys and Aspergillus Niger.
Ask the mold inspection company to furnish you with a report stating in writing the result of its inspection and tests. Make sure the inspection notes the assessed cause of the mold and whether the company believes household occupants may be exposed to dangerous levels of mold growth.
Furnish the report with your small claims case filing.
Tips
If you are claiming health-related damages due to mold growth, you will need to prove your health suffered as a result of its presence. This requires a medical evaluation.
Warnings
While there are several types of do-it-yourself mold test kits, a court will need an independent inspection of your property as reliable evidence.
References
- Marler Clark: The Legal Implications of “Toxic” Mold Exposure
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Basic Facts -- Molds in the Environment
- Harper, 2019.
- Howard, 2019.
- FEMA. "National Flood Insurance Program Fact Sheet." Accessed Jan. 23, 2020.
- FEMA. "The BIG Cost of Flooding." Accessed Jan. 23, 2020.
Tips
- If you are claiming health-related damages due to mold growth, you will need to prove your health suffered as a result of its presence. This requires a medical evaluation.
Warnings
- While there are several types of do-it-yourself mold test kits, a court will need an independent inspection of your property as reliable evidence.
Writer Bio
Based in Florida, Jim Franklin started writing professionally in 2009. His articles appear on websites such as eHow, where he covers topics ranging from home improvement to finance. Franklin has a Bachelor of Arts in business management from Florida Atlantic University.