According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that 1 out of every 10 preschoolers, or 434,000 children between the ages of one and five, suffer from some form of lead poisoning.
Lead poisoning occurs when children either swallow peeling lead paint chips or inhale lead paint dust. Children are at greater risk to lead paint poisoning because their bodies absorb up to 50% of the lead they ingest while adults retain only 10%. As children’s brains and central nervous systems are still developing, lead will accumulate in a child’s body until ultimately, causing irreversible damages that may not appear for years.
If your child has been harmed by toxic exposure, you need a lead poisoning lawyer with experience in handling these types of cases.
Studies have revealed that high lead levels in the body may cause:
- damage to the central nervous system;
- brain injuries, reduced intelligence;
- growth retardation;
- learning disabilities;
- and behavioral difficulties.
In extreme cases, seizure-like symptoms, comas and even death may result. Blood testing is the only reliable way to diagnose lead poisoning.
Contact a Lead Poisoning Lawyer
While children who live in old, poorly maintained housing tend to face the greatest risk of lead poisoning, if your building was built before 1978 it’ s possible that lead paint was used. It wasn’t until 1971 that Congress passed the Lead Based Poisoning Prevention Act (“LBPPA”), which restricted residential use of lead paint and banned its use on toys and children’s furniture. LBPPA did not, however, restrict the use of lead in marine paint farm equipment, or automobile paints and industrial finishes.
It wasn’t until 1978 that the Consumer Products Safety Commission banned the use of lead-based paints in homes. However, the National Safety Council estimates that approximately 38 million homes still contain lead-based paint and approximately 25% of all U.S. homes contain some type of lead hazard.
Please contact a lead poisoning lawyer at The Oshman Firm today to learn about your rights under the law. We offer free case evaluations with no obligation, so that you can get answers to your questions and determine the best course of action for you.