Video Library

CBS - Gorman

From CBS 2 Los Angeles, Paul Magers, Laura Diaz, and Johnny Mountain with weather. You’re watching CBS 2 News at 5:00.

Now at 5:00, toxic trouble from toxic mold. A family scarred forever, and tonight, one of the largest settlements in history. Good evening everyone, I’m Paul Magers.

I’m Laura Diaz. It was a hidden health hazard that left a young child with permanent brain damage. CBS 2’s Mark Coogan is live with the landmark settlement. Mark.

Laura, this case involves a boy who is now five years old with brain damage who requires 24-hour-a-day care, and his old house in Manhattan Beach where his parents say the toxic danger didn’t simply develop, it was built in.

Kellen Gorman of Manhattan Beach is five years old. Doctors say he has permanent brain damage because of toxic mold in the house where he lived until he was two. Last month, his parents won a 22.6 million dollar settlement from 18 construction companies and vendors who built the house. It’s believed to be the largest settlement of its kind in U.S. history.

This mold that we had was very unusual for people who would be trained in mold. They’d come to our house and they’d say, “You know, I’ve never seen anything like this.”

According to the Gorman family’s attorney, the companies settled once the trial judge ruled that the Gormans could present evidence that toxic mold caused Kellen Gorman to suffer neurological damage, a legal breakthrough. Another breakthrough came when their attorney discovered this photograph taken during construction showing toxic mold already present on the lumber used to build the home.

That smoking-gun element was a very critical and lucky thing. But the Gormans deserved luck.

The entire Gorman family, two adults and three children, was sickened by the mold to one degree or another. But Kellen, a premature baby who lived in the home for two years, suffered the most.

When he’s 65 or 75, and there’s no reason to believe that he won’t live to a full lifespan of 83, it’s anticipated that he will always be like a 1-1/2 year old.

Kellen’s parents say they see some improvement in their son. They also have a warning for construction companies and people moving into new homes.

The more global issue is we’re building Petri dishes. We’re building Petri dishes and then expecting everything inside to be healthy. And it’s just not.

The companies which agreed to the settlement did not admit liability, they simply paid up. The Gormans now live next door to their old house, which will be torn down and rebuilt.

Live in West Hollywood, Mark Coogan, CBS 2 News. Back to you.

Thank you, Mark.

It’s our other big story tonight, grave concerns at a Southland cemetery.

Select a video from the lists below to load in the video player above.