Denver Apartment Dwellers Filing Class Action Suit

August 21, 2006 - About 50 residents of a Denver, Colorado apartment complex that was evacuated more than 2 months ago have filed a class action suit against the complex’s owners, alleging that they were exposed to the hazardous material while going about their everyday lives.

Highline Terrace Apartments was evacuated last June and remains empty today.  Residents were forced to leave with little more than the shirt on their back and have been unable to return to their apartments to retrieve important items. 

A report by CBS4-Denver notes that state health inspectors have taken several pictures inside the apartments since the residents’ departure, showing significant asbestos contamination.

The lawsuit alleges that proper precautions were never taken during a recent remodeling project, thus the exposure to the asbestos materials.  Lawyer Charles Torres claimed that safeguards were not in place to protect the apartment dwellers.

"Obviously we need to compensate these individuals because they're going to have to suffer for years with the anxiety that they may come down with asbestos poisoning," Torres said.  "There were heavy, high concentrations of asbestos while the tenants were in there," he added.

In addition to the property owner, the suit also names the property manager and renovator as defendants.  The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.