The New York Post reports that a building owner in the city has agreed to pay a historic $6.5 million in fines and restitution to his tenants for a host of housing violations including conditions that left 130 young children with lead poisoning. According to the report, the company, Lilmor Management, and its owner, Morris Lieberman, admitted in their agreement with the state and federal officials that they violated housing laws related to lead, mold and maintenance codes and deceived tenants regarding conditions in the more than 2,500 rent-stabilized apartments across 49 buildings.
130 Children Had High Blood Lead Levels
Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that the company rented out apartments that were in dangerous condition to “unsuspecting tenants, putting thousands of people in harm’s way.” James said tenants in these buildings, including young children, were forced to live with leaks, mold, infestations and elevated lead levels. More than 130 children living in Lilmor buildings have tested positive for elevated blood lead levels since 2012, officials said.
The city’s Housing Department has issued nearly 1,000 violations for lead paint hazards alone in these properties since 2012, the Post reports. The agreement included a consent decree, which would force the building owner to find and fix all lead-based paint violations across the company’s portfolio. Of the $6.5 million in fines, nearly $3 million would be paid as restitution to impacted tenants. The work would be overseen by an independent housing specialist selected by both federal and state officials, according to court filings.
How Lead Affects Young Children
Lead is a toxic metal which, when ingested or inhaled as dust, can have severe and lasting effects on a child’s health. One of the most concerning effects is on the brain and nervous system. Lead exposure can impair cognitive development, reduce IQ and hinder attention and lead to behavioral issues as well. Even low levels of lead can interfere with a child’s learning abilities, leading to difficulties in school and delayed development milestones. Higher levels of lead exposure can result in more severe neurological damage, including seizures or developmental disorders.
Children are particularly vulnerable because they absorb lead more easily into their blood stream than adults and because their smaller, growing bodies can be affected by relatively low doses. Chipped lead paint and the dust it generates in older homes are common sources of exposure. Young children can ingest lead dust by putting contaminated fingers or toys in their mouths or by chewing on painted surfaces like window sills.
New York City building owners/managers have strict responsibilities under Local Law 1 (the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act) to protect tenants from lead paint hazards, especially in buildings constructed before 1960 or those between 1960 and 1978 where lead paint is known to exist. These laws prioritize protecting children under 6. Building owners/managers must identify and address lead hazards proactively. They are required to conduct annual visual inspections of apartments with young children, checking for peeling paint, dust or other signs of lead paint hazards. If issues are found, they must fix them using certified contractors following safe work practices. Building owners/managers must also provide tenants with a lead-based paint disclosure notice at lease signing or renewal, informing them about any known lead paint in the unit.
New York Lead Poisoning Lawyer
Whether you have been living as a tenant at a private apartment complex or in a public housing unit (NYCHA) (the Projects), 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 NYCHA (the Projects) or private landlords (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 experienced New York lead poisoning 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.
Our law 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 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, we fought hard and recovered $162,500 more than the insurance policy of one million dollars. 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, lead poisoning 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://nypost.com/2024/12/13/us-news/nycs-worst-building owners-agrees-to-historic-6-5-million-settlement-over-thousands-of-violations/