New York Lead Poisoning Cases And Prevention

Lead is a substance common in gasoline and house paint. It’s also a very strong poison. In New York, where children are exposed to old house paint, lead is often a source of serious health problems among children. Those who negligently exposed them may face legal consequences.

If you suspect your child has been affected by lead, consult with lead poisoning attorneys. Adults are can also get lead poisoning. Here’s more about lead poisoning prevention and cases in New York.

A State Program to Combat Lead Poisoning

The number of children with lead poisoning in New York declined by more than 90% since 1995, from 20,000 children in 1995 to 1,572 cases in 2008. Severe lead poisoning cases in both children and adults was also reduced. Is lead poisoning then a problem of the past? Not so fast.

Despite the progress, lead poisoning continues to threaten the lives of thousands of children and adults in New York. The Department of Health has already set a goal to eradicate it statewide. It implemented robust plans according to local laws and established programs to protect children and care for those who have lead poisoning.

Laws and Regulations for Lead Used on Public Property

As part of its statewide initiative to combat lead poisoning, New York has its own local laws for regulating the use of lead on public property. Local Law 38 set new requirements on the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), and landlords. Below are some of its highlights.

* Landlords with pre-1960 buildings must determine in good faith if a children aged six or below lives in a unit. If there is, he or she has to make annual inspections for peeling paint and other lead paint hazards and fix it.

* HPD has to follow specific inspection requirements laid down by Local Law 38 when a tenant files a complaint.

* When a lead paint hazard is found, the landlord is obliged to correct it and report the correction to the HPD.

Consulting Lead Poisoning Attorneys – New York

Because lead poisoning can significantly affect your child’s future, it would be wise to consult a lead poisoning attorney to get full compensation. Children affected by lead have slowed cognitive growth, lowered IQ, nerve disorders, and memory and concentration issues. Your child deserves both the medical and legal assistance he or she needs. Having a competent New York lead poisoning attorney can speed up your claim against a negligent landlord or paint manufacturer or those who are responsible.

In addition to securing damagers for your family, getting represented by lead poisoning attorneys has other benefits including

* obtaining additional funds to help support the child’s educational needs

* getting advice from someone who not only knows laws related to lead poisoning but also lead products and manufacturers

The impact of lead poisoning is hard to put in dollars and cents. It can last a long time, if not forever. Protect your loved ones against further pain and damage by contacting the experienced lead poisoning attorneys at The Law Offices of Mark E. Weinberger today.