NYC borough presidents want the city’s Department of Education to provide bottled water and take other steps at local schools testing over the limit for lead in drinking water. According to a report in The Brooklyn Eagle, city officials are calling for immediate action due to lead poisoning concerns after some New York City public schools tested positive for elevated lead levels in their drinking water. A retesting of fixtures such as sinks and water fountains following new guidelines issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found nine times as many water outlets with lead levels above the EPA’s “action level” of 15 parts per billion.
Concern Over Elevated Lead Levels
The Department of Education has said it has implemented a monitoring, testing and replacement program that goes beyond federal guidelines. The borough presidents want the city to go even beyond these measures. They are asking the city to provide alternate water supply for the schools that have been affected, such as bottled water or water coolers. They are also asking that the schools provide free lead exposure testing for children, install water filtration systems to prevent future contamination and implement lead testing on a regular basis.
But Department of Education officials feel those measures may be too drastic and unnecessary. They are saying that so far, there have been no known lead poisoning cases due to drinking water in schools. They are assuring parents that the water in city schools is safe for students and staff to drink and that there is no need for bottled water. You can check how your child’s school is doing in terms of water safety at the Department of Education’s website.
Why Lead Content is Harmful to Children
Excess levels of lead may cause permanent brain damage in children. Kids under 2 years of age are particularly at risk of lead poisoning. Also, a child’s gastrointestinal tract absorbs lead more readily than does the adult gut. Most importantly, a child’s rapidly developing brain is highly vulnerable to lead toxicity.
Lead poisoning is caused by the accumulation of lead in a child’s body. Ultimately, the effects of lead poisoning may have long-term consequences for children including, but not limited to, loss of IQ points, language impairment, memory issues, lack of focus or concentration, poor fine-motor kills, difficulty with planning and poor problem-solving skills. In cases where severe child lead poisoning has taken place, one may see symptoms such as developmental delays, learning difficulties, irritability, loss of appetite, weight loss, sluggishness, abdominal pain, hearing loss and seizure.
What Liability Do Schools Have?
Schools have a responsibility and a legal obligation to keep their students safe on campus. This responsibility includes removing any hazardous conditions on the premises that may cause injuries or illnesses. And that of course includes removing lead poisoning hazards. Schools are responsible for inspecting and repairing and/or replacing any fixtures that are causing lead levels to increase in the drinking water. As the borough presidents suggest, the Department of Education should assist families with free lead level testing for children, especially students in schools who may have been exposed to higher lead levels.
If your child has suffered lead poisoning as a result of excessive lead levels in the school’s drinking water, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the school and the Department of Education, seeking compensation for damages such as medical expenses, cost of diagnostic testing, treatment, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been affected by lead poisoning or lead exposure, the 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. 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 recovered $162,500 above the $1 million dollar total 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 full policy of $1,000,000.
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 in 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.brooklyneagle.com/articles/2017/3/2/borough-presidents-want-nyc-provide-bottled-water-other-measures-schools-testing