A federal audit has found that the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority failed to report three lead poisoning cases, highlighting inadequate oversight of public housing. According to a news report, the audit has raised concerns about how the New York housing authority handled lead paint, which is one of the most well-known hazards in older buildings.
According to the Housing and Urban Development’s Office of the Inspector General, the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority failed to report three confirmed cases of children with elevated blood level. The same audit also found that the agency’s oversight of lead-based paint in public housing was inadequate. The case in Buffalo involved missed reporting in situations where children had already been confirmed to have elevated blood lead levels, the report said. When that process is delayed or ignored, it can slow down efforts to identify the source of lead contamination and prevent future cases, officials said.
Families Left Vulnerable to Lead Hazards
This situation also reflects a broader pattern in rental housing, including here in New York City, where residents tend to have limited control over conditions in their homes. Families in public housing, such as those owned and operated by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) often have fewer options or resources for relocating or making repairs themselves.
Since lead paint is a major health issue in older homes, inspections, record keeping, reporting and follow-up are all very important to protect children from lead exposure, which is preventable. Federal audits such as this one, can put pressure on local housing authorities to improve compliance, strengthen inspections and tighten up reporting practices, the report said.
What Can New York Tenants Do If They Suspect Lead Poisoning?
If you are a tenant in New York and suspect that your child has been exposed to lead paint, taking prompt action is important. The first step is to contact the child’s pediatrician or visit a local clinic and request a blood lead test. A blood test will determine whether a child has an elevated blood lead level.
Parents should also keep their child away from peeling, chipping or damaged paint and report the condition to the property owner/manager in writing. In New York City, property owners/managers have specific responsibilities to address lead paint hazards when young children live or regularly spend significant time in a home. If the repairs are not done or carried out in an unsafe manner, tenants can contact 311 or file a complaint with the city. Tenants should preserve photographs, medical records, inspection reports, repair requests and communications with property owners, managers, etc.
New York Lead Poisoning Lawyer
Whether you have been living as a tenant at a private apartment complex or in a public housing unit (the Projects) or if your child has been exposed to lead through contaminated water in school, please remember that you have legal rights. If your child has been diagnosed with high blood lead levels, regardless of whether you live in public or private housing, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) (the Projects) or private building owners and building managers for damages. Those who have been affected can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, cost of diagnostic tests, permanent injuries, lost income and benefits, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
If your child has been affected by lead poisoning, the very experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. It is in the best interest of injured victims and their families in such cases to contact a very experienced personal injury lawyer before contacting the people responsible for the injuries, and definitely before contacting or communicating with any insurance company, or their lawyers, investigators, or adjusters.
Our firm recovered $1,162,500 for a child who suffered lead poisoning from paint in her apartment. The child’s injuries were subtle and difficult to recognize. We fought hard and recovered $162,500 above the $1 million dollar total insurance policy in this case, despite the judge’s efforts to settle the case for $950,000. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys‘ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases, negligence cases, motor vehicle accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, trip-and-fall accidents, ceiling collapse cases, lead poisoning, paraplegia cases, quadriplegia cases and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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Source:https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/york-public-housing-authority-lacked-100700324.html