Key keywords: Cape Cod mansion ocean collapse risk, manic episode real estate purchase, Massachusetts coastal erosion property dispute, bipolar disorder real estate purchase defense, Nauset Beach cliff erosion 2024, lawyer Cape Cod oceanfront property lawsuit, coastal property disclosure law Massachusetts A prominent Boston-based personal injury lawyer has filed a lawsuit against the former owners and listing agents of a $2.3 million Cape Cod oceanfront mansion, arguing he was in the middle of a severe manic episode when he purchased the property in late 2022 and had no capacity to recognize the extreme coastal erosion risk threatening to send the home falling into the ocean. Richard Parsons, 58, confirmed in court filings last week that he has lived with diagnosed bipolar disorder for more than 20 years, and medical records show he was unmedicated and experiencing an extended manic period in the months surrounding the home purchase. During that time, Parsons also made a series of uncharacteristic impulsive purchases, including three luxury sports cars, a $180,000 private jet membership, and multiple six-figure donations to charities he had no prior connection to, his legal team said. The 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath home sits on a cliffside stretch of Nauset Beach in Orleans, Massachusetts, an area that has seen average annual coastal erosion rates of 3 to 5 feet over the past decade, with storm surges in 2023 alone wiping out more than 12 feet of cliff in the neighborhood. Local building officials issued an emergency vacate order for the property in March 2024, after inspectors found 40% of the home’s foundation had been undermined by erosion, with the back deck hanging less than 2 feet from the cliff edge. Parsons claims the former owners and listing agents intentionally hid multiple recent engineering reports detailing the erosion risk, and failed to disclose that three neighboring properties had collapsed into the ocean between 2021 and 2023. He is seeking full restitution of his $2.3 million purchase price, plus damages to cover the $1,000 daily fine he faces from the town if he does not arrange for the home’s demolition by June 2024. Insurance providers have already refused to renew the property’s hazard policy, and the current assessed value of the lot and structure is less than $150,000, according to Cape Cod property records. Real estate legal experts note that Massachusetts state law requires explicit disclosure of known natural hazard risks for all coastal properties, and Parsons’ bipolar diagnosis offers additional context for why he failed to complete standard due diligence, including ordering an independent erosion assessment, before closing on the home. The case is set to be heard in Barnstable County Superior Court in July 2024, and local residents say it could set a precedent for future disputes over high-risk coastal property sales in the state.