NEW ORLEANS - The dangers posed by Chinese drywall and the severity of the suing homeowners' allegations against the distributors and manufacturers of the drywall combine to afford them both a contract and tort remedy under the laws of the states most affected, the homeowners argue in an Oct. 21 brief filed in the federal Chinese drywall multidistrict litigation; a group of homebuilders adds in an Oct. 22 brief that the economic loss rule bars any potential tort claims by homeowners against them for problems covered under contract law (In re: Chinese-Manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation, No. 2:09md02047, E.D. La.). From Mealey's Litigation Report: Construction Defects