Acknowledgement to Ironshore Environmental
A Hawaii judge approved a $1.8 million class action settlement, which would provide compensation to Hilton Hawaiian Village guests who were exposed to toxic mold in Kalia Tower Guest Rooms in June and July of 2002.
According to the class action toxic mold claim, the hotel was aware of the mold’s presence but failed to adequately disclose this information to guests. Guests who were exposed to this toxic mold can now begin to obtain compensation via the recently approved settlement agreement.
An estimated 2,900 guests from all over the nation and the world may be eligible for payments. Through the class action settlement, Hilton has agreed to provide each exposed guest with $50 in cash for each night of stay or a $150 travel coupon for future use with Hilton.
The Kalia Towers in Honolulu’s Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel were completed in 2001. About a year later, the 453-room tower was taken over by mold, a variety of which can trigger asthma and irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat.
Hilton spent a total of $55 million to investigate and clear out the mold and contaminated furniture. The estimated cost of clean up was only $10 million.
Hilton claims that defects in design and construction caused excessive humidity in the building, thus fostering the growth of mold. The hotel giant is suing 18 different entities, from construction companies to engineers, for a total of $60 million.
In doing the math, one quickly realizes that if Hilton is successful in its counter claims, the company will actually make $3.2 million out of a situation where their accommodations posed a significant health threat to thousands of people.