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Flooring distributor pulls laminate flooring from shelves

On Behalf of The Law Offices of Goldfine & Bowles, P.C.

May 8, 2015

Wood floors are all the rage for many people either constructing or remodeling their home. While some property owners opt for the real thing, others choose instead to go with a laminate version. This is appealing to many because it is low maintenance and resilient. Some people who purchased their laminate flooring from Lumber Liquidators may now wish that they had gone with real wood. That type of flooring that was made in China has been pulled from its stores. The reason is that there are fears that the product is unsafe.

Specifically, the fears pertain to the amount of formaldehyde found in the flooring. A known carcinogen, the amounts discovered in the product are above California’s emissions standards. The issue first came to light for many following a segment CBS “60 Minutes” did this past March.

In response to the concerns, besides pulling the product from their shelves, Lumber Liquidators has sent test kits to consumers for them to test the formaldehyde levels inside their homes. The company indicates that more than 97 percent of those tests have been returned showing levels that were within the guidelines established by the World Health Organization. It is worth noting that the kits are testing the air and not the levels of the carcinogen in the flooring.

Though it is not clear if the flooring has caused any injuries to consumers if it does it is possible that the flooring seller could face lawsuits filed by consumers. Product liability lawsuits could be filed when a product is dangerous to consumers despite being used as intended. While Lumber Liquidators is facing many breach of warranty and false advertising lawsuits, it is unclear whether any products liability lawsuits will be filed.