Morristown Lead Poisoning Attorney
Helping Clients Affected by Lead Poisoning in New Jersey
Lead poisoning in children can remain undetected for long periods of time and can cause serious injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been no tests that prove that there is any safe level of lead in a person’s body. Lead builds up in the body and does not leave the system. It becomes toxic to adults and is more seriously dangerous to children.
If you have realized, or suspect your child was exposed to lead-based products at a young age, our seasoned lead poisoning attorneys can help you get the financial aid you need for yourself or your child. Contact a Morristown lead poisoning attorney for a free case evaluation. You can reach us at 973-455-1567 or, if you prefer, by filling out the form on our website.
Children and Lead Poisoning Lawyers Morristown NJ
Children tend to be more susceptible to lead poisoning, perhaps because many of the objects that have lead are things that children may put in their mouth. For example, lead poisoning often occurs when children eat paint chips or are exposed to dust containing lead. While lead is no longer allowed in paint, it was contained in paint that was used in the interiors of homes built prior to 1978. Many of these homes have lead paint on the walls and on window casements.
If you have ever been in an older home, you know that many of the windows are lower to the ground and the molding protrudes outward. Younger children may stand near the windowsill and chew on the wood when teething, exposing themselves to lead. They eat the paint chips and continue to do so without anyone really ever noticing. Lead is not limited to paint and is contained in many items, including food. Lead is everywhere and is generally undetectable in your everyday life, which is why it is dangerous.
For example, children drink tap water, play in the dirt, wear pretend costume jewelry, eat candy, and play with plastic toys. These are all perfectly normal things for a child to do and, in fact, in today’s world of technology and computers, we try to discourage iPad and phones and instead, encourage children to play outdoors, with toys, or while using their imaginations. Sadly, many of the items listed above contain toxic levels of lead that can cause a person to become very ill and go without any real signs of illness. Symptoms of lead poisoning mimic other common ailments or are not uncommon behaviors displayed by children such as delayed speech, hyperactivity, aggressiveness, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, or anemia.
Lead in Households across the Country
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes that at least 4 million households have children that are presently exposed to high levels of lead. Poisoning of the blood from lead can cause serious injuries such as brain damage resulting in developmental disabilities, seizures, comas, and even death. The levels of lead in the system do not have to be high to cause injury as low levels have been shown to cause: lower IQ, attention issues, decrease in hearing, hyperactivity, and learning disabilities. Some injuries from lead poisoning are avoidable and should not happen.
The CDC reports that lead-contaminated dust and lead paint are the most hazardous sources of lead for children in the United States. Shockingly, despite all of the evidence of the health impacts of lead upon children, 24 million housing units have deteriorated lead paint and elevated levels of lead-contaminated house dust. Many of the housing units are rentals or housing that are homes to those living below the poverty line, with the children inhabiting those homes having the highest risk of lead poisoning. While there may be no fail-proof way to avoid lead there are certain things you can do to help avoid the risk of poisoning.
Limiting Lead Exposure in NJ
The CDC suggests talking to your local health department about testing if there is a chance of lead in your home. You may also call poison control if you suspect someone ingested lead. Make sure that your children do not have access to peeling or chipped paint, wash their hands regularly, “wet-mop” floors and “wet-wipe” windows, and prevent them from playing in bare soil. Of course, it may not be that easy to avoid lead.
If you live in a home that you rent and it was built prior to 1978, it may contain lead. It may be difficult to constantly avoid contact with all surfaces, and you should not have to.
Landlords have a duty of reasonable care to their tenants and must act accordingly. If the building was constructed during a time in which lead paint was used, landlords must disclose that possibility of lead paint and any construction done on the property must be done by contractors certified to deal with lead. In addition to landlords, contractors, manufacturers and other parties may be responsible for the lead exposure.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Today to get Fair Financial Compensation
The experienced lead poisoning attorneys at The Law Office of Michael P. Burakoff can help you and your child get the financial compensation you deserve. Our passionate lawyers at the firm have taken on companies, government agencies, public housing, and others who were negligent and did not take the proper actions necessary to prevent a child from being exposed to a lead source.
If you or a loved one has been exposed to lead and suffered injuries, contact our firm today to discuss the potential for financial recovery. Please contact us online, or through either our Morristown office or our Newton office at 973-455-1567.
