Missouri Family Wages Four Year Legal Battle Over Undisclosed Meth Lab
When a southwestern Missouri couple bought their dream home near Mount St. Helen, Washington, they never imagined they’d end up losing everything. The seller and real estate agent neglected to disclose that the house had once been a meth lab. The couple found out from folks in town that there had been a drug operation and a drug bust two years prior. Meth making chemicals had permeated virtually every surface of the house. The occupants of the house had been arrested and the landlord put the property up for sale.
The couple was afflicted with rashes, insomnia, mood swings and called the health department. The property and all the contents within it were condemned. A four year legal nightmare ensued, their credit rating was destroyed, and they lost all their family heirlooms. The husband was subsequently diagnosed with kidney cancer.
Eventually, the Washington courts ruled in their favor and the seller was required to purchase the property back and pay off the mortgage. The couple has since returned to Missouri where they rent a home near Springfield.
Unfortunately, Missouri has the highest number of meth lab busts in the nation. According to the Missouri Statewide Methamphetamine Laboratory Incident Totals, there have been nearly two thousand meth lab busts in Missouri so far in 2009. Missouri law does not require the police to report meth lab busts to the health department.
The Health Department has deemed former meth lab properties uninhabitable, and condemns most. Clean up is expensive and often very difficult. Renters and owners of former meth lab houses have become mysteriously ill with an array of ailments attributed to exposure to the chemicals used to make methamphetamine.
If you or your loved ones suspect that the property you own or rent is a former meth lab, the Missouri premises liability attorneys at Page Cagle may be able to help. They can help you hold property sellers and landlords responsible for negligence and help secure compensation relating to medical expenses and relocation. Please call the injury lawyers at Page Cagle today toll free at 866-620-5757 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced St. Louis personal injury lawyer.
