Oregon couple had to wear gas masks in their own home due to sewage smell from nextdoor, now they’re suing their neighbors for $200,000

An elderly couple from Portland, Oregon, is suing their neighbor for $200,000 after the fresh air in their home was replaced by a stench so bad it was described as “life-changing.” The smell was allegedly so bad that it caused them to collapse and led to serious health concerns.

John, 77, and Trudy Benjamin, 67, filed a lawsuit against their neighbor, Karen Ward, after a toxic smell described as a concoction of raw sewage and chemicals spread through the air from her RV home. The smell took over the home, which had belonged to John and Trudy for more than 40 years, according to an article from the New York Post.

Things got so bad for the Benjamins that they had to start wearing gas masks in order to help deal with the horrific and potentially dangerous smell. The couple’s lawyer believes the smell may have been coming from a chemical toilet, which may have overflowed and leeched into the ground. 

John and Trudy kick up a stink

Chemicals from such toilets, like chlorine bleach and ammonia, can create toxic gases that can be harmful to one’s health. At one point, the smell caused John to collapse, chipping his kneecap and requiring surgery and physical therapy.

The couple sent numerous emails to Karen Ward in which they complained about the smell, but they were met with unsatisfactory responses. Ward claimed she planned to install a composting toilet, then later claimed she would hook her small home up to the sewer line, then she claimed she’d have the chemical toilet pumped regularly.

Eventually, the couple decided that taking Ward to court was the only option. “All the Benjamins want is to be able to use and enjoy their home of 40 years, without having to wear industrial-grade respirators whenever they go outside,” their attorney Karl Anuta explained. 

The couple had been forced to keep their windows closed at all times to try to prevent the odor from invading their home, but it was no use. Trudy even alleged that one time a friend could even smell it on their clothes. They are seeking “non-economic damages in an amount the jury determines to be fair but in no event to exceed $200,000,” as per PEOPLE.

Karen Ward claimed in an email that the tiny home had an “RV toilet” and a “portable septic tank” that had been installed. But she claims both were removed in April and the residue cleared up. However, John and Trudy claim that the smell remains, and so do their symptoms.