New Legislation may Help Chinese Drywall Victims

Scott Kappes

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Legislation recently introduced into the Senate could make it easier for homeowners whose homes were built with defective Chinese drywall to seek compensation from foreign manufacturers. If the Foreign Manufacturers Legal Accountability Act of 2009 successfully passes through Congress it will attempt to make it a far easier task to bring foreign companies before an American court over product liability claims.

Legal analysts say current laws contain so many loopholes that foreign manufacturers of shoddy equipment are rarely penalized by the legal system.

The new legislation would require foreign manufacturers to retain a representative of the business in at least one U.S. state who could be served in the event of a lawsuit being filed.

American companies are held to full accountability that the products that they manufacture are safe for use by American consumers. The new bill would hold foreign manufacturers to the same level of accountability.

This would affect not only Chinese drywall but countless other foreign made products that flood into the U.S. Over the last 15 years foreign imports have tripled and are expected to double again in the future. As imports continue to increase it is important for foreign companies to be held accountable for the products that they produce to ensure the safety of the American consumer.

Several lawsuits have been filed against Chinese manufacturers allegedly responsible for producing defective Chinese drywall that is currently wreaking havoc on thousands of American homes. This new legislation could make it much easier for the thousands of homeowners and dozens of builders struggling with the issue to seek compensation from the Chinese manufacturers.