Maryland lead poisoning lawsuit verdict $4 million
Last week, a Maryland lead poisoning lawsuit resulted in a jury verdict of $2.5 million for a 23 year old man and $1.5 million for his 21 year old sister. The siblings suffered lead poisoning as a result of flaking lead paint during the 1980s when their family lived in a publicly owned rowhouse in Baltimore City. Although the verdicts will likely be reduced to $350,000 for each under Maryland damage caps for government entities, the jury verdict reflects the devastating impact lead poisoning can have on a child’s life.
The family lived in a Baltimore City house while the victims were under four years old, and the mother testified that she repeatedly complainted about flaking lead paint in the home which was owned and maintained by the Housing Authority of Baltimore City. Both plaintiffs were found to have elevated blood lead levels when they were children, which has resulted in continuing symptoms of lead poisoning.
Lead poisoning is a serious condition with permanent consequences that could result in:
- Brain Injury
- Damage to the Nervous System
- Seizures or Convulsions
- Decreased Growth Rate
- Mental Retardation
- Coma
- Death
>>INFORMATION: Lead Poisoning Lawsuits
Lead poisoning has been getting a lot of attention lately following the recall of several toys manufactured in China which contain dangerous levels of lead. Earlier this month, nearly 1 million different popular toys, like Elmo and Big Bird, were recalled by Mattel’s Fisher-Price division. Other recent recalls have involved Thomas the Tank Engine, Spiderman trinkets and kids jewelry.
While toys with high levels of lead can cause injury under some circumstances, most cases of lead poisoning reported each year are attributed to lead paint in homes. Household paint containing lead was banned nationwide in 1978, but many older houses are still standing with the paint on the walls. When the homes are not properly maintained, flaking or pealing paint could be injested by young children who are susceptible to lead poisoning.
In Maryland, lead poisoning has been a particular problem, especially in Baltimore City. There have been estimates that over one million homes throughout Maryland contain lead paint, and many have been poorly maintained, leading to chipping and flaking lead paint chips which pose a danger to children in the house. According to state statistics, 936 new cases of lead poisoning were diagnosed in Maryland last year, and over 60% of them were reported in Baltimore.
MARYLAND LEAD POISONING LAWYERS
The personal injury lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. review potential lead poisoning lawsuits in Maryland and throughout the United States for children who have been diagnosed with elevated lead blood levels. If you suspect that lead poisoning was suffered as a result of a child ingesting flaking lead paint or from a recently recalled product, request a free lead poisoning lawsuit evaluation.
