A Harlem mother says her bathroom tested positive for lead in April, but that she hasn’t been able to get any response from the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) (The Projects), which owns and operates her apartment building. According to a report on PIX11, the woman lives in the Manhattanville Houses in Harlem. She says that in an inspection done about a month ago, lead was detected in the paint in her bathroom ceiling, posing a risk of lead poisoning for her two young children.
Lead Paint in Bathroom
The woman has two children, an 11-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son. She
says she is concerned because both are learning remotely and are at home all day. She told PIX11 that she is deeply concerned for the health and welfare of her two children and had requested a permanent transfer from her apartment. NYCHA officials later responded to PIX11 saying that a supervisor would visit the woman’s apartment and schedule an appointment for repairs and lead paint removal.
NYCHA (The Projects) also stated that their Lead Action Plan provides residents the option to be temporarily relocated while repairs are being done and they are not required to permanently relocate residents. The woman said she is going to get her children tested for lead poisoning.
Last year, NYCHA’s federal monitor revealed that there are 9,000 apartments within NYCHA apartment buildings (the Projects) with children under the age of 6 years, which likely have lead paint. NYCHA says it has inspected more than 134,000 apartments for lead out of 175,000. The inspections and repairs have been significantly slowed down by the coronavirus pandemic. There have also been several reports that lead testing in children has slowed down as well because of the pandemic, putting numerous children at risk for lead poisoning.
Harm Caused to Children
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lead could cause significant harm to one’s health. It can particularly affect young children. Exposure to lead can cause impaired brain development resulting in reduced intelligence quotient or IQ, behavioral changes such as decreased attention span and increased anti-social behavior, and reduced academic achievement. Lead exposure may also cause anemia, hypertension, kidney problems and toxicity to the immune system and reproductive organs. The neurological and behavioral effects of lead poisoning are believed to be irreversible.
There is no known blood lead concentration that can be considered “safe.” We know now that even blood lead concentrations that were previously termed low may be associated with decreased intelligence in children, behavioral issues and learning difficulties. As lead exposure increases, the range and severity of symptoms also increases.
NYC Lead Poisoning Lawyer
Whether you have been living as a tenant at a private apartment complex or in a public housing unit (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 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 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 and/or medical malpractice 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.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://pix11.com/news/monica-makes-it-happen/harlem-mom-has-lead-in-her-nycha-apartment-wants-action-and-a-transfer/