Lead poisoning can cause serious and lasting damage, especially for children. Unfortunately, lead remains prevalent in homes and apartments throughout California because the use of lead paint was not banned until 1978 and some internal plumbing systems and older brass fixtures still contain lead.
Because of the dangers of lead paint, the federal Lead-based Paint Disclosure Rule requires that landlords, real estate agents, and property managers provide proper disclosures about known lead-based paint in certain properties before potential renters or homeowners sign a contract or a lease.
Unfortunately, sometimes the proper disclosures are not made or landlords and property owners don’t take the necessary steps to keep buyers and renters safe. When this happens, a San Diego lead poisoning lawyer can help you take action.
Matthew de Lira has extensive experience with lead poisoning claims and can provide you with invaluable help as you fight for justice if you or your child was harmed. Give our San Diego personal injury lawyers a call or contact us online today to schedule a free consultation and find out how we can advocate for you.
Risks of lead poisoning
Lead poisoning has the most severe impact on children, but people of any age can be harmed by the dangerous substance.
Some of the biggest risks to children include irreversible damage to the nervous system, brain, and kidneys. This can result in:
- A reduced IQ
- Learning disabilities
- A shortened attention span
- Permanent intellectual disabilities
- Severe toxicity resulting in seizures or a coma
- Antisocial behavior
- Slowed physical growth
- Hyperactivity
- Speech challenges
And for adults, the most serious potential complications include:
- High blood pressure / hypertension
- Damage to the kidneys
- Memory loss
- Mood disorders
- Joint or muscle pain
- Infertility
- Miscarriage
- Premature birth
- Reduced fetal growth during pregnancy
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that you should monitor for symptoms carefully and take steps to ensure that you and your child are in a lead-free environment, as even low levels of lead in the bloodstream have been linked with detrimental health effects, especially for children.
What are your rights if your child gets lead poisoning?
Lead poisoning can be managed with treatments like chelation therapy, which binds to the lead in your body, or your child’s body, and makes it easier to remove the lead from the body. Whole-bowel irrigation using a special solution called polyethylene glycol can help to prevent further absorption of lead when lead paint chips are seen in an X-ray in the child’s belly.
Unfortunately, the effects of lead poisoning are not reversible. If you or your child has suffered consequences like kidney damage or neurological impairment, the focus will need to be on preventing further exposure and managing the condition.
This may mean you require ongoing and even lifetime support. You deserve to be compensated for the resulting damage as well as for the loss of earning power that can result from neurological impairment.
Landlords, property owners, and others who are responsible for exposing you to lead should cover these costs if you can prove that they breached their legal obligation to you. Matthew de Lira can help.
Contact a San Diego lead poisoning lawyer today
Attorney Matthew de Lira has decades of experience representing victims of lead poisoning. We have a network of experts who can testify about the exposure and damage, and we are skilled at conducting investigations to prove liability.
To find out more about how we can help you, give us a call at (858) 703-7048 or contact us online today to schedule your free consultation with a San Diego lead poisoning lawyer.