Baron and Budd Investigating Cases Involving Formaldehyde-Tainted Laminate Flooring Products from Lumber Liquidators

The national law firm of Baron and Budd announces that it is now investigating complaints concerning laminate flooring sold by Lumber Liquidators that may contain extremely high levels of formaldehyde. A story reporting the dangers of the product aired March 1 on the CBS television network news show 60 Minutes.

Lumber Liquidators, according to the report, has revenues of more than $1 billion a year and includes more than 360 stores in 46 states. Reports allege that many laminate flooring products sold by the company do not meet safety and health standards due to high amounts of formaldehyde, a chemical that is known to cause cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, regular exposure to high levels of formaldehyde can lead to nasopharyngeal cancer as well as myeloid leukemia.

Hundreds of thousands of American homes may contain Lumber Liquidators’ laminate flooring, according to the report. Samples of Lumber Liquidator’s flooring were compared to those sold by Lowe’s and Home Depot and tested by a California non-profit group. While their competitors’ samples showed acceptable levels of formaldehyde, almost all of the samples of Lumber Liquidators’ flooring had levels of the chemical that exceeded California’s standards for emissions. Most samples had emissions that were six to seven times higher than the acceptable level, and some were nearly 20 times higher.

The 60 Minutes team then tested 31 boxes of flooring bought from stores in Florida, Illinois, New York, Texas and Virginia. Only one of the samples was compliant with formaldehyde emissions standards.

The team then sent investigators to a mill in China, where Lumber Liquidators’ laminate flooring is manufactured. Employees told 60 Minutes that they not only used boards with high levels of formaldehyde, but that they also sometimes applied false labels to the product claiming it met both California and U.S. emissions standards.

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Lumber Liquidators. Customers from all 50 states who purchased laminate flooring that contains toxic levels of formaldehyde may be eligible to join the suit.

“The 60 Minutes report raises concerns about one of the most irresponsible corporate actions we have encountered, and Lumber Liquidators must be held accountable for putting so many of its customers at risk,” said Roland Tellis, shareholder at Baron and Budd.

If you purchased laminate flooring from Lumber Liquidators, please contact the national law firm of Baron and Budd to see if you may qualify to take legal action against the company. Send an e-mail to info@baronandbudd.com or call 1.866.844.4556.

ABOUT BARON & BUDD, P.C.

The law firm of Baron & Budd, P.C., with offices in Dallas, Baton Rouge, Austin and Los Angeles, is a nationally recognized law firm with a long history of "Protecting What's Right" for people, communities and businesses harmed by negligence. Baron & Budd's size and resources enable the firm to take on large and complex cases. The firm represents individuals and government and business entities in areas as diverse as dangerous pharmaceuticals and medical devices, environmental contamination, the Gulf oil spill, financial fraud, overtime violations, deceptive advertising, automotive defects, trucking accidents, nursing home abuse and asbestos-related illnesses such as mesothelioma.