Philadelphia to Enforce Laws to Protect Children from Lead Poisoning

 As part of a plan to prevent childhood lead poisoning, Philadelphia city officials have said they will begin to enforce a 4-year-old law. This law requires landlords to certify that their properties are lead-safe before renting them out to families with young children. According to Philly.com, this move came after a recent Inquirer/Daily News/Philly.com investigation found that landlords in the city have largely ignored the 2012 law and that the city has failed to go after them for the violations.

Philadelphia’s Lead Problem
At a recent news conference, city officials outlined a plan that aims to protect children from lead poisoning. Even at low levels, lead can cause lifelong health issues including learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Previously, most of the city’s efforts were focused on removing or containing dangerous lead paint in the homes of children who had already been poisoned. The investigation titled “Toxic City” revealed that the city had done little to protect the majority of children who have been poisoned by lead in their homes.
Of the nearly 2,700 children with high lead levels in their blood in 2015, the city only activated one case and inspected the homes of about 500 children who were severely poisoned. The city will now change its policy by no longer renewing the rental licenses of landlords who fail to certify that their properties are lead-safe before renting to pregnant women or families with children who are 6 years old or younger. Philadelphia ranks among the top large U.S. cities at risk for childhood lead poisoning. A majority of the homes in the city were built before the country’s 1978 lead paint ban.
Blood Lead Levels
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 4 million households have children living in them that are exposed to high levels of lead. There are about half a million U.S. children ages 1 to 5 with blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per deciliter, the reference level at which CDC recommends public health actions be initiated. No safe blood level in children has been identified.
Exposure to high levels of lead can affect nearly every system in the human body. It often goes undetected and unrecognized because there are no obvious symptoms. 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.
Some of the symptoms of lead poisoning in newborns may include premature birth, lower birth weight and slowed growth. The CDC states that lead exposure increases children’s risks for damage to the brain and nervous system; learning and behavioral issues such as reduced IQ, ADHD and even criminal behavior; and hearing and speech problems.
Property Owners’ Liability
There are several potential parties that can be held liable for the damages and losses in lead poisoning cases. In New York City, landlords and property managers are required under the law to notify tenants if a rental unit might contain lead. A property owner who is selling a home also has the same legal obligation toward buyers. Property owners and property managers in New York City can be held financially responsible for failing to give tenants accurate information about the presence of lead in a home.
If a worker suffers lead poisoning in the workplace, he or she can also seek compensation by filing for workers’ compensation benefits and/or a third-party claim against a party other than the employer or co-employee.
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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1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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Source: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/special_packages/toxic-city/Philly-aims-to-prevent-lead-poisoning-before-kids-get-harmed-.html