A California private school has sued artificial turf maker FieldTurf, claiming it knowingly installed a defective product.
Plaintiff Crystal Springs Uplands School (CSUS) is seeking approximately $300,000 in its lawsuit, which would just about cover the cost of purchasing and installing the artificial turf, the school claims.
CSUS’ complaint focuses on a defective fiber that was imbedded in the product when it was installed at the school’s soccer field in 2009. The fiber allegedly caused the field to decay at an accelerated pace, well before the expiration date that the defendant had promised.
School officials claimed that they observed the field splitting, thinning and breaking, while the warranty was still in effect. However, they claim, FieldTurf representatives ignored and denied the claim.
“FieldTurf has failed and refused to replace the field with one that complies with its original warranty and representations,” according to the complaint. “The school now brings this action to seek relief from the actions and inaction of FieldTurf.”
Eighteen months after the turf was installed, FieldTurf seemingly became aware of the problem and reportedly sued TenCate, the maker of the fiber, claiming fields were failing too quickly.
Roughly 18 months after the Crystal Springs Uplands School installation, FieldTurf sued TenCate, the maker of the fiber.
However, the school has claimed in the instant suit that FieldTurf knew there were problems with the Duraspine Fiber in 2006, and yet continued installing the turf with then fiber across the nation.
The school is being represented by Peter Frederick Lindborg and Irina Mazor of Lindborg & Mazor LLP in Glendale.
Synthetic turf fields are certainly not new to controversy.
The Environment and Human Health, Inc. (EHHI), an organization of physicians and public health professionals, has provided evidence, in the form of a study done at Yale University, that revealed that of the 96 chemicals in the rubber tire infill used in synthetic turf, many of which are toxic.
Furthermore, many also believe that turf fields heighten the risk of concussion because of their natural hardness in comparison to natural turf fields.
