Oregon Couple Sues Neighbor Over Odor

An Oregon couple has filed a lawsuit seeking over $200,000 against their neighbor, citing an unbearable smell coming from a mobile home on the adjacent property that, they claim, has made their home a toxic environment.

John and Trudy Benjamin allege that a combination of raw sewage and chemicals leaking from Karen Ward’s small RV has turned their Parkrose Heights residence, which they’ve cherished for over 40 years, into a nightmare. They describe the smell as so overpowering that it has disrupted their daily lives, including gardening.

Trudy, 67, recalled first noticing a “life-altering” odor from the mobile home last August, and said it escalated to the point where she couldn’t enjoy her garden anymore. “My husband walked by and started sniffing, and I said, ‘Oh my god, what is that?'” she recounted, realizing she’d been noticing it for some time.

The couple’s attorney, Karl Anuta, suspects that after the mobile home’s chemical toilet overflowed, the owner may have attempted to mask the smell with bleach. However, mixing ammonia from urine with bleach can produce chloramine gas, which is highly toxic.

John, 77, suffered a fall that fractured his kneecap due to the unpleasant conditions, leading to surgery and extensive rehabilitation.

Trudy mentioned that at one point, a friend pointed out a noticeable odor coming from their clothes. To cope, the couple has had to keep their windows and doors shut and wear gas masks just to move between their car and home. Health professionals have even advised them to find temporary housing until the odor situation is resolved.

Anuta expressed that the couple simply wants to enjoy their home without the need for industrial respirators every time they step outside. Despite their attempts to reach out to Ward for a solution—including requests for a composting toilet and better waste management—there was no satisfactory response.

Ward, who is not represented by an attorney, claimed the mobile home was fitted with an “RV toilet” and portable septic tank, both of which were removed in late April, and the areas were cleaned. Nevertheless, the Benjamins say the odor—and accompanying symptoms like dizziness and nausea—remains persistent.

In addition to seeking financial compensation, the Benjamins are requesting that the mobile home either be removed or not used until it is properly connected to a sewer system.