A federal class-action lawsuit with defendants around the world will –in part – come down to the testimony of seven families in Hampton Roads.

The families all have suffered because they have toxic Chinese drywall in their homes, according to WAVY-TV. They are among the tens of thousands of homeowners who have suffered physical ailments and property destruction because of the defective drywall, which emits noxious gases.

A federal judge in New Orleans is overseeing the class-action lawsuit, which has named Taishan Gypsum as one of the defendants. Taishan, in China, is the manufacturer of the drywall.

A default judgment was entered against Taishan last week after the company did not respond to the lawsuit. It is not yet known, though, if the plaintiffs in the case will be able to get anything from Taishan. There are still other defendants in the case.

Preston McKeller is one of the local plaintiffs who will travel to New Orleans in January 2010 to testify on behalf of the class. Though he was reluctant to speak in specifics because of the pending litigation, he said he hopes he – and others – are made whole.

I would like to see all of the houses in the neighborhood be given a remediating. It's the process to remove the problem, along with fix the electrical. It's a very extensive process,” McKeller told WAVY.

Including the McKellers, four Williamsburg families, two Newport News families, and one Virginia Beach family are expected to testify at the January trial.