The Lipscomb University mold lawsuit is a $14.5 million negligence case filed January 7, 2026, in Davidson County Circuit Court by eleven current and former students who say toxic black mold in three women’s dormitories in Nashville made them chronically ill and that the university knew about the conditions for years.1The Tennessean. Lipscomb Students Lawsuit Nashville University Dorm Mold Lipscomb has called the allegations “egregiously overstated” and said it will fight the case.2WSMV. Lipscomb University Facing Lawsuit Over Claims That Students Are Getting Sick From Black Mold
Who Is Suing and What They Say Happened
The eleven plaintiffs lived in Elam Hall, Fanning Hall, and Johnson Hall, three dormitories that together house more than 800 students. The 123-page complaint describes condensation, damp air, musty odors, and visible mold as a “consistent part of student life” in those buildings rather than a recent problem. Students and parents raised concerns, according to the suit, and the university minimized them or blamed student behavior.
The women say the exposure caused fatigue, headaches, respiratory symptoms, nausea, skin conditions, and cognitive impairment, and that the illness interfered with attending class, studying, and sleeping. Some missed significant coursework. Some withdrew. Their attorneys have said a portion of the group faces what they describe as “lifelong illness.”
The complaint includes photographs to document conditions inside the buildings: a mushroom growing near a windowsill in Elam Hall dated April 6, 2023, and mold in the corner of a drawer in the same building dated August 19, 2023. Attorneys also allege that carbon dioxide levels in some dorms measured five times what experts consider safe.
What the Complaint Claims the University Did Wrong
The case is framed as negligence rooted in poor building maintenance. John Griffith of GriffithLaw, one of the attorneys for the students, described it as “a systemic problem” and said “the main thing that is driving this case is a lack of safety for the students and a lack of transparency from Lipscomb.”3WKRN. Students File $14.5M Lawsuit Against Lipscomb University Co-counsel Andy Davis said, “If they fix the problem the right way and not put profits over people’s safety, they won’t have to pay for it later.”4NewsChannel 5. Looking Into Mold Concerns as Lipscomb Students Sue the University Over Dorm Conditions
A central allegation is timing. According to the plaintiffs, Lipscomb did not adopt formal campus-wide mold prevention and remediation protocols until November 5, 2025, well after complaints began, and earlier remediation attempts left dormitories dangerous even after families were assured conditions were safe.5NewsChannel 5. Lipscomb University Sued by 11 Students Allegedly Made Sick by Black Mold in Dorms
The attorneys have acknowledged that tying symptoms like fatigue, headaches, and coughing specifically to mold is difficult because those symptoms have many possible causes. They argue the complaint establishes a “clear pattern”: students fell ill while living in the dorms, improved when they left campus, and got sick again when they returned.4NewsChannel 5. Looking Into Mold Concerns as Lipscomb Students Sue the University Over Dorm Conditions
Lipscomb’s Response
Lipscomb said in a statement that it “has established and follows strict protocols, consistent with EPA guidance and industry standards, for addressing suspected mold concerns” and that it is “deeply committed to the well-being of our students.” The university said it would “vigorously defend against these claims.”2WSMV. Lipscomb University Facing Lawsuit Over Claims That Students Are Getting Sick From Black Mold
The written protocol Lipscomb published on November 5, 2025 directs students, faculty, and staff to report suspected mold through an online portal, calls for a facilities inspection within one business day, and requires correcting the moisture source, removing the mold, repairing damage, cleaning the area, and reinspecting roughly two months later. Occupants may be temporarily relocated depending on the scale of the problem and individual health factors.6Lipscomb University. Mold Prevention and Remediation Protocols
Lipscomb’s Environmental Health and Safety office states on its website that because neither the EPA nor OSHA sets specific indoor mold standards, there are “no regulatory limits with which to comply” and that sampling to confirm mold is generally “unnecessary.”7Lipscomb University. Health and Safety That position is consistent with federal guidance, but the plaintiffs argue the university’s approach let conditions worsen.
Where the Case Stands
As of early 2026, the case was active in Davidson County Circuit Court and in its defense phase. No settlement discussions, motions to dismiss, or trial dates had been reported.1The Tennessean. Lipscomb Students Lawsuit Nashville University Dorm Mold
The students are represented by Just Well Law, an Austin, Texas firm that specializes in toxic-exposure litigation and was founded by Kristina Baehr, along with Nashville attorneys Andy Davis and Joshua Cantrell of GriffithLaw.4NewsChannel 5. Looking Into Mold Concerns as Lipscomb Students Sue the University Over Dorm Conditions
Related Dorm Mold Lawsuits
The Lipscomb suit is not the legal team’s only one. Just Well Law and Andy Davis filed a $35 million case in September 2025 against the University of the South in Sewanee on behalf of seven students who alleged toxic mold exposure in that school’s Johnson Hall dormitory.8Chattanooga Times Free Press. Sewanee Students File $35M Suit Over Toxic Mold Four more plaintiffs joined in October 2025, and independent testing cited in that complaint found Penicillium/Aspergillus mold levels in two dormitory rooms at 2,200 times outdoor levels. Just Well Law has also filed mold-related suits against Ohio State University and St. Edward’s University.9The Sewanee Purple. Understanding the Johnson Lawsuit The specific legal counts in the Lipscomb complaint have not been detailed in available reporting.