Lumber Liquidators Accused Of Misleading Consumers About Formaldehyde Levels In New Suit

MISSION VIEJO (CBSLA.com) — Several California consumers have filed a lawsuit against Lumber Liquidators, alleging the company hired unaccredited labs to prove its flooring is not giving off formaldehyde fumes.

A 60 Minutes investigation reported in March excessive levels of formaldehyde were found in laminate flooring manufactured in China for Lumber Liquidators.

Mission Viejo homeowner Dennis Winkler says he now plans to sue the company, alleging he began to feel ill shortly after he saw the report.

"I'd been getting very, very bad headaches, even where I'm dizzy ... then I'd be nauseous. In the morning when I'd wake up, I would go and throw up," said Winkler, who installed flooring from Lumber Liquidators in March.

"I've been to the hospital once thinking I was having a heart attack. It was chest pains, erratic heartbeat," he added.

Winkler says he doesn't trust the test kit provided by Lumber Liquidators to measure formaldehyde levels in his home, and he's since removed much of the flooring.

"Well, the test kit they sent was either — no disrespect — made by Mickey Mouse or it was an air-test kit. Well, the formaldehyde is in the wood," he said. "My issue is to have them be held accountable."

Lumber Liquidators issued a statement in response to the 60 Minutes story insisting all of its products are 100 percent safe.

The written statement continued: "Testing by independent third parties confirmed that 100 percent of the randomly selected cores used in the laminates from the three factories that 60 Minutes investigated came back as fully safe and compliant with California standards."

Winkler isn't convinced. After speaking with CBS2/KCAL9, he said he was going to the hospital for toxicology tests on the advice of his doctor.