March 16, 2009 - Engle Homes - Chinese Drywall Lawsuit, Fort Meyers FL

Engle Homes Facing Class Action Lawsuit - Chinese Drywall Concerns

A major development was uncovered in the ongoing fight against Chinese drywall. We obtained a class action lawsuit that will be filed against a local home builder Tuesday.

For the first time, Engle Homes is under fire. The 23-page lawsuit includes seven plaintiffs and a laundry list of complaints including negligence and illness that may be related to defective drywall from China.

Coral Lakes resident Sonny Dowdy bought his home with his wife to relax. But defective drywall may be ruining their plans.

"I'm trying to find a place to move all the stuff out and store it so it won't get messed up," he said.

He and his wife Joyce explained the copper tubing of their air conditioner are now black and corroded. But that's not all.

"I have never had a problem with nosebleeds, now I do. Insomnia - I've always been a very good sleeper and now I'm not," Joyce said.

They think Chinese drywall may be to blame.

Experts we spoke to say some drywall from China has sulfur in it and can emit a gas which smells like rotten eggs when the drywall comes into contact with moisture.

Some residents have also complained of health problems, though no one has proven the drywall is responsible for that.

The Dowdys aren't the only ones in the Coral Lakes community having problems. Monday night, their neighbors across the street had to call the AC repair man.

The neighbor will need to replace his three-year-old unit. It's why a number of residents in Coral Lakes are filing a class action suit Tuesday morning against the builder, Engle Homes.

We tried contacting Engle Monday night, but their office was already closed.

The Dowdys say they just feel like someone should be held responsible.

"I'm not hoping to make any money on this deal. I'm just hoping that they make it right and make it OK to live here," Joyce said.

Residents of Coral Lakes can attend a town hall meeting at the community's clubhouse Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

This particular class-action suit is designed for the residents of Coral Lakes only. It's a legal strategy banking on the hope that the client will be one of only a few and could receive greater compensation.

But don't be surprised if you start to see many more suits like this one for other areas of Southwest Florida.

Copy Of Lawsuit - PDF

Engle Response - PDF

Original Story - NBC News 2