Court analyzes mobile home mold claim

Steven and Amber Raab purchased a manufactured home and leased a lot from River Ridge-Saline, LLC in November 2000.  The lot didn't drain properly, resulting in mold problems focused primarily underneath the mobile home.  The Raabs consulted experts who documented the mold problems, however, their findings did not indicate catastrophic damages.  One expert did testify, however, that it would cost $48,000.00 to remediate the problems.  Despite this claim, the trial court removed the case to District Court on the basis that reasonable minds could not conclude that the family suffered more than $25,000.00--the jurisdictional limit of the Court.

River Ridge-Saline asked the Court of Appeals to grant summary disposition, while the Raabs asked the panel to send the case back to Circuit Court.  The Court of Appeals upheld the decision of the lower court after a close examination of the evidence presented by both parties.  The decision includes a good discussion of some of the components of a mold-infested home.