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NewswireTODAY - /newswire/ -
New Orleans, LA, United States, 2010/03/03 - An expert in building diagnostics at Buric testified in a lawsuit heard in U.S. District Court in New Orleans about the potential dangers of Chinese drywall.
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Ron E. Wright, P.E., chief operating officer for Buric, testified in a case in which several Virginia homeowners are seeking more than $2.5 million for damages they claim were caused by poorly manufactured and corrosive Chinese drywall.
U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon is expected to rule on the plaintiffs’ bid for judgment sometime in the next few weeks. His decision could influence how homeowners throughout the United States seek recovery for similar damages in the future.
The defendant in the lawsuit, Taishan Gypsum Co., did not respond to the lawsuit and did not have attorneys present at the two-day hearing.
In his testimony, Wright summarized the problems caused by defective drywall and what remediation was required to address them. He also presented costs for construction activities necessary to properly repair the homeowners’ residences.
A construction-industry veteran with 30 years of experience, Wright is an expert in building diagnostics. Wright analyzes why buildings don’t perform as expected, determines what construction or design deficiencies contributed to the failure of building components and systems or their intended use, the damages that have occurred, and the remedies necessary to correct and repair them. In addition to defining building problems and the remedies, Buric often manages necessary repairs.
Last May, scientists with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency confirmed that sulfur, strontium and iron were present in samples of Chinese drywall. The tests were spurred by complaints from homeowners living in 10 states and the District of Columbia. In samples tested of drywall manufactured in the United States, EPA scientists detected no elemental sulfur, and determined that levels of strontium and iron were significantly less than what was found in Chinese drywall.
The EPA has received hundreds of formal complaints from citizens alleging that Chinese drywall leeched noxious substances that caused illness and corroded metals inside walls and appliances.
Before 2005, drywall imports from China hardly existed. But after hurricanes pummeled the southeastern United States in 2004 and 2005, contractors rebuilding damaged offices and homes exhausted the supply of domestically produced drywall and looked to China to fill the gap.
Since 2006, the United States has imported more than 550 million pounds of Chinese-manufactured drywall for use in some 60,000 homes in a dozen states.
Buric is the premier consultant to the world’s diverse construction industry. The firm’s work allows clients to successfully complete jobs while minimizing their risks and costs.
Established in 1968, Buric (buric.com) provides construction planning and critical path method scheduling; construction claims resolution, including forensic investigation, demonstrative graphics and expert witness capability; surety contract management; building diagnostics and rehabilitation; project management and control; and architectural and engineering services.
Even more importantly, it is the manner in which Buric provides these services that sets the firm apart. Buric employees are knowledgeable and accomplished industry experts – the best in their fields – who take pride in providing accurate, thorough and responsive service while maintaining the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.
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