Crime scene cleanup, trauma scene cleanup or biorecovery after the death of someone either violently or naturally is by and large the responsibility of the victim’s family. Even till few years ago, there were a handful of cleaning companies that specialized in trauma cleaning service. But today this niche service has emerged and there are many companies who provide this service.
Trauma cleaning service requires special experience, skills, equipment and expertise to deal with different types of bio-hazardous waste and dispose them efficiently with the minimum possible emotional stress to the victim’s family.
The most traumatic form of death is violent death and leaves the victim’s family feeling both victimized and traumatized. Coming to terms with the death of a loved one is in itself an uphill task for the bereaved family, and to top it off they have to deal with other practical matters like making funeral arrangements, dealing with insurance issues, contacting surviving family and friends and locating wills. Furthermore, in case of violent crimes the police and the media are also involved. This can really overwhelm any family. Here is where trauma cleaning service comes to your rescue. They lighten one of the heaviest burdens that are of dealing with the horrid aftermath. They will take care of the crime/death scene cleanup, ensuring that the scene is restored to its pre-incident state as far as possible and in the most quick and efficient manner thus allowing you to deal with other important matters. Most service providers work discreetly and protect the confidentiality of the decedent and family.
Most of the times, the crime scenes are so ghastly that they can induce additional emotional trauma on victim’s friends and family. By hiring professionals for this cleanup, you can reduce this emotional stress. Immediately after death Mother Nature begins its process of breaking down the body. Unattended death scenes and dead bodies can be dangerous as it gives rise to blood borne pathogens, viruses and bacteria. You may try to clean the area by yourself but the exposure may result in flu-like diseases or direct attack on the respiratory system. So it is advisable to leave this job to professionals who specialize in bio fluid and blood remediation.
The total cost involved in a trauma scene cleanup will depend on a number of factors. One of the largest factors is labor, how many technicians will be needed to complete the job, how long will the job take and the quantity of medical waste disposal (red bags) that needs to be treated and disposed of. It can range anywhere in the range of $600 to $5000 per job. Some people might call this business as capitalizing on death but it is still essential and indispensable in case of a death.
In many states throughout the country, if the death is related to a crime, the State Victims Assistance program may make monies available to cover the cost of "crime & death scene cleanup." In other cases, homeowner policies may cover this cost as well.
What to look for in a cleanup contractor:
As with any type of contractor it is buyer beware! Always make sure the contactor is local to you (same state). There are many cleanup contractors who advertise on the internet that are many states away, thus dollars away. These companies either send their people long distances or hire a local company and mark up the invoice. Why pay these high cost when it is unnecessary. There are licensed, qualified companies in every major metropolitan area in the United States. Never pay for a company that is based out of state. To locate a local company visit our website at www.biorecovery.com and click on nationwide directory in the left column. Check to see if the company you have chosen is a member of a non-profit association that deals with this industry-currently there is only one association, that being the American Bio-Recovery Association (ABRA). You can verrifiy a company be logging onto www.americanbiorecovery.com and clicking on service providers, to see if they are indeed a member of this non-profit group.
Additionally, always check for the proper insurance and ask for a certificate of insurance and be listed as an additional insured. Many companies do not carry the correct insurance, they have janitorial insurance which will not cover you should an incident arise during the cleanup. Biohazard cleanup contractors should carry general liability insurance for blood cleanup as well as having contractor’s pollution liability insurance and workers compensation insurance for the state they are working in.
Are your cleanup contractors licensed to transport medical waste? If they are charging you for "red bag" transport and disposal, they must be licensed by the state in which they operate, ask for a copy of their license. If they do not have one, or say they have another company who will transport this "red bag" waste, stop and get another company that is licensed, ultimately, you are responsible for this hazardous waste should be mishandled.
NEVER EVER sign a work authorization or contract for service without reading and understanding what these documents are. Once you sign them you are responsible for what they say. There are many horrific stories about companies from Illinois, and other states that charge tens of thousands of dollars for a job that may have cost $3500.00 from a reputable company, but because you signed their agreement without understanding the ramifications of such, like how charges are calculated, you are now stuck with an invoice for $25,000 dollars. These companies will sue you or lien your real property to recoup there payment. Your insurance company will not cover costs that are not customary to the work performed. This is not meant to scare you or change your mind about using a biorecovery type company, it is meant to educate you. You are in the midst of one of the worst times of your life; don't let unscrupulous companies take advantage of you-hire a local company that has a verifiable track record.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Couple sues landlord over mold in Bound Brook rental home
by Ryan Hutchins/For The Star-Ledger
BOUND BROOK -- A husband and his pregnant wife are suing their former landlords, accusing the Jersey City couple of failing to remediate "toxic mold" from the Bound Brook home they rented until May.
A complaint filed last week with Superior Court in Somerville alleges that the mold may have caused the health problems Floyd and Tabatha McColley suffered from while living in the Cedar Crest Road house, and also suggests that it had an impact on the woman's unborn child.
"There's a definite problem with the baby that will require... immediate action after birth," Floyd McColley said Thursday, but stopped short of saying mold is responsible for the unspecified medical issue that was diagnosed by an obstetrician.
The girl, expected in about two months, will be born at Columbia University Medical Center in New York "so she's right there with the best doctors when she's born," said Floyd McColley, who now lives with his wife in Brick Township, Ocean County.
The couple's complaint, filed on July 27 by attorney John Charles Allen of New Brunswick, claims Sameen and Yameen Khan, the Jersey City husband and wife who rented the house to them, failed to respond to complaints that there was "severe leaking" and "substantial growth of toxic mold" in the home they moved into in August 2008.
Both McColley's had become sick after living in the home, Floyd McColley said.
"It was a gradual worsening of symptoms," he said.
They had issues with being over-tired and had trouble breathing, said the husband, who's sickness were more pronounced.
"As a result of the defects to the property and more importantly, the hazardous conditions with the property, plaintiffs were forced to move out," the complaint says.
Both McColleys are healthier since leaving, said the husband.
After moving, the landlords hired contractors who the court filing calls unqualified and not properly equipped to remove the mold. The complaint says workers destroyed property left behind by the McColleys, and Floyd McColley, who hired his own mold expert, said Thursday that the mold was made worse by the contractors.
The Khans never paid for the cost of alternate housing or relocation, the complaint said.
Reached Thursday, Sameen Khan referred questions to the couple's attorney, Michael Wroblewski of New York.
"My clients vigorously deny the allegations and have acted responsibly through this matter," he said later that day, but didn't want to elaborate.
The McColleys' suit, which is requesting a jury trial, asks that the couple be awarded compensation for various damages, as well as legal fees.
Floyd McColley, a military contractor, said he and his wife moved to Bound Brook from Illinois after his employer called him back from Iraq to work in New Jersey.
The home appeared nice when they moved in, but the flooding started with the first rain storm, he said.
"We had high hopes of staying in this place only to find out we'd moved into a nightmare."
BOUND BROOK -- A husband and his pregnant wife are suing their former landlords, accusing the Jersey City couple of failing to remediate "toxic mold" from the Bound Brook home they rented until May.
A complaint filed last week with Superior Court in Somerville alleges that the mold may have caused the health problems Floyd and Tabatha McColley suffered from while living in the Cedar Crest Road house, and also suggests that it had an impact on the woman's unborn child.
"There's a definite problem with the baby that will require... immediate action after birth," Floyd McColley said Thursday, but stopped short of saying mold is responsible for the unspecified medical issue that was diagnosed by an obstetrician.
The girl, expected in about two months, will be born at Columbia University Medical Center in New York "so she's right there with the best doctors when she's born," said Floyd McColley, who now lives with his wife in Brick Township, Ocean County.
The couple's complaint, filed on July 27 by attorney John Charles Allen of New Brunswick, claims Sameen and Yameen Khan, the Jersey City husband and wife who rented the house to them, failed to respond to complaints that there was "severe leaking" and "substantial growth of toxic mold" in the home they moved into in August 2008.
Both McColley's had become sick after living in the home, Floyd McColley said.
"It was a gradual worsening of symptoms," he said.
They had issues with being over-tired and had trouble breathing, said the husband, who's sickness were more pronounced.
"As a result of the defects to the property and more importantly, the hazardous conditions with the property, plaintiffs were forced to move out," the complaint says.
Both McColleys are healthier since leaving, said the husband.
After moving, the landlords hired contractors who the court filing calls unqualified and not properly equipped to remove the mold. The complaint says workers destroyed property left behind by the McColleys, and Floyd McColley, who hired his own mold expert, said Thursday that the mold was made worse by the contractors.
The Khans never paid for the cost of alternate housing or relocation, the complaint said.
Reached Thursday, Sameen Khan referred questions to the couple's attorney, Michael Wroblewski of New York.
"My clients vigorously deny the allegations and have acted responsibly through this matter," he said later that day, but didn't want to elaborate.
The McColleys' suit, which is requesting a jury trial, asks that the couple be awarded compensation for various damages, as well as legal fees.
Floyd McColley, a military contractor, said he and his wife moved to Bound Brook from Illinois after his employer called him back from Iraq to work in New Jersey.
The home appeared nice when they moved in, but the flooding started with the first rain storm, he said.
"We had high hopes of staying in this place only to find out we'd moved into a nightmare."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
