Lead Poisoning Investigations Failed In Cleveland

Cleveland’s city office responsible for protecting children from lead poisoning allegedly failed its residents. According to a Cleveland.com report, despite city officials being warned about a backlog of open lead poisoning cases, the city responded by simply closing cases – without conducting investigations. Specifically, over the span of five years the city completed investigations in less than 25 percent of cases.

No Money, No Investigation of Lead in Homes

What was the reason behind the failure to follow through? Lack of funds, which resulted in Cleveland having just one public health lead investigator responsible for assessing more than 120 homes annually. A typical lead poison investigation lasts 4 to 6 hours per home.

Although the state of Ohio was prepared to pay, at least in part, for some of the investigations, the city still failed to do so. Unfortunately, this omission has further financially burdened the city. The state health department says Cleveland lost $600 for each case it didn’t investigate – totaling a loss of about $360,000.00.

Effects of Lead Poisoning on Children

Lead can cause harm to children that can have permanent, lifelong effects. Specifically, lead poisoning may result in developmental delays, learning difficulties, hearing loss, stunted growth as well as sluggishness and fatigue. Lead is particularly harmful for the developing brain and nervous systems of young children and unborn fetuses. For these reasons, the law mandates investigations if tests reveal there is lead in a child’s bloodstream above the state standard of 10 micrograms per deciliter.

Landlords have a legal responsibility to notify tenants if one of their rental units may contain lead. Homeowners who wish to sell their property are under this same legal obligation. If the landlord or owner knows, or should have known, about the presence of lead but fails to notify the tenant or buyer, he or she will be liable for all damages that result from the exposure. In fact, many states have laws that make a landlord or seller liable regardless of knowledge. Likewise, employers are also required to provide a lead-free environment to workers under federal and state law.

Long Island Lead Poisoning Lawyer

If you or someone you know has been the victim of lead poisoning, contact aggressive and knowledgeable New York lead poisoning attorneys right away to learn about your rights and obligations under federal and state law. Your child’s health is of utmost importance. Proper legal guidance regarding this sensitive issue is important in order to understand how to protect your loved ones.

Servicing the greater New York area including Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Bronx, Queens and New York City the seasoned legal professionals at the Law Offices of Mark E. Weinberger will advocate on your behalf. Call 516-441-0282 for your initial case evaluation from a long island lead poisoning lawyer today.