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Parents plan to
sue Middle School
By Jamie Preston Olmstead
Register Citizen Newspaper Staff,
Torrington,
Connecticut
November
25, 2003
TORRINGTON-- Another parent
has jumped on the bandwagon to sue the City’s school board and area
construction companies due to alleged medical ailments experienced by their
middle school-age children.
A New Haven attorney representing the parent of a former
Torrington Middle School
student now being home-schooled has filed a statutory notice of intent to
sue the City’s Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools and local
construction companies.
Attorney John E. Deaton of the law firm Early, Ludwick, Sweeney & Strauss
filed the official notice at Torrington’s City Clerk’s office this month,
claiming that poor air quality and ventilation were among the causes of an
irreversible medical disease.
Deaton represents parents Peter and Joanne Avoletta, whose child Peter
Avoletta allegedly sustained health injuries while enrolled at Torrington
Middle School.
"Peter currently receives homebound instruction because Dr. John Santelli
performed tests in July 2003 and found that toxic mold exists in Peter’s
blood, and Peter was then diagnosed in August 2003 by Dr. Karen Daigle at
the Connecticut Children’s
Medical
Center with irreversible lung disease," Deaton said.
According to Deaton, Avoletta’s exposure to negligent conditions within the
Torrington Middle School building was a significant contributing factor to
Daigle’s diagnosis.
"These conditions, which exist because of the repeated negligence to
adequately repair the roof and to provide a healthy indoor environment at
TMS include, but are not limited to elevated dampness, lack of proper
ventilation, mold and overall poor indoor air quality," Deaton said.
According to Deaton, the City of Torrington and/or its employees have known
about the poor indoor air quality at Torrington Middle School from the time
of the installation of the roof and all of its attending problems
thereafter.
"I anticipate filing the lawsuit in the very near future," he said.
Heeding the advice of their attorney, the Avolettas declined to comment on
the notice of intent to sue.
A copy of Deaton’s letter was also forwarded to Mayor Owen Quinn,
Corporation Counsel Al Vasko and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Gregory
Riccio.
Parties anticipated in the prosecution of the lawsuit include but are not
limited to Riccio, Torrington’s Board of Education, O&G Industries, Borghesi
Building and Engineering and the Butler Manufacturing Company, all of which
were involved in the construction, maintenance and/or repair of Torrington
Middle School.
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