Associates:
Of Counsel:
Lead Poisoning and Environmental Injury
The Lead Poisoning and Environmental Injury practice of O'Connell & Aronowitz is the largest lead litigation group in Upstate New York. Our attorneys have reviewed over 1,000 cases of childhood and adult lead poisoning.
Over the past fifteen years, our legal team has won the largest lead paint verdicts and settlements ever in Upstate New York.
The 5 attorneys in our group have extensive experience representing injured children and adults in all types of serious injury cases involving accidents, brain damage, environmental injuries, and product injuries.
Lead is a dangerous toxin that many young children are exposed to. Even a blood lead level below 10 is harmful and may cause brain damage, learning problems, behavioral problems, and hyperactivity. Children can ingest a small amount of lead in dust or paint chips when they put their hands and toys in their mouth. They can also inhale it in the form of dust. Even if your child was poisoned many years ago, they may have until age 21 to sue.
Peter Danziger leads our Lead Poisoning practice. With over 35 years of experience, Mr. Danziger is an advocate for injured children. He has also represented hundreds of adult clients in complex cases including breast implant, Dalkon Shield, and Prozac litigation.
He serves as board member of the Brain Injury Association of NYS. He developed and edited the New York State Bar publication "Representing People with Disabilities" and co-authored the chapter on Special Education Litigation. He was the President of the Capital Region affiliate of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and chaired the New York State Bar Association's seminars on Lead Poisoning Prevention and Litigation. For more than 20 years he has been listed in Best Lawyers in America and Who's Who in American Law.
Please contact Supervising Partner Peter Danziger or Kelly Mikullitz, and Sara Beth Fedele. Trial Counsel: Michael P. McDermott
Largest Verdicts in Upstate New York in Lead Poisoning Cases
| $4.0 million | $1.8 million |
| $2.2 million | $1.2 million |
Largest Reported Settlements in Upstate New York in Lead Poisoning Cases
| $3.20 million | $1.45 million |
| $2.20 million | $1.40 million |
| $1.75 million | $1.27 million |
| $1.70 million | $1.26 million |
| $1.57 million | $1.25 million |
| $1.55 million | $1.14 million |
| $1.45 million | $1.10 million |
Press Coverage of Lead Poisoning Cases:
"Siblings get $2.5M from lawsuit," Times Union, October 17, 2007
"Tenant wins $1.2M award," The Post Star, July 1, 2004
"Lead Paint Ruling Clarifies Discovery Matters," New York Law Journal, December 17, 2002
"Family Gets $2.2M in Lead Paint Case," Troy Record, December 13, 2002
"Lead-Poisoned Girl Gets $2.2M," Schenectady Gazette, December 13, 2002
"Lead Paint: A Ruling for Tenants," New York Times, December 9, 2001
"Standard Eased for Lead Paint Liability Upstate," New York Law Journal, November 16, 2001
"Ruling Bolsters Lead Paint Lawsuits," Albany Times-Union, November 16, 2001
"Lead Paint Case Settled for $720K," Schenectady Gazette, October 17, 2001
"Third Department Affirms Paint Verdict: Albany County Girl's Injuries Merit $1.8 Million," New York Law Journal, April 30, 2001
"Jury Awards $6 Million in Paint Case," New York Law Journal, March 27, 2001
"Poisoned Siblings Awarded $6.2M; Managers of the apartment in which 2 children were exposed to lead are 98% liable," Albany Times-Union, March 24, 2001
"Children Awarded $6.2M in Lead Paint Case," Schenectady Gazette, March 24, 2001
"Albany is First Upstate County to Settle a Lead Paint Dispute," New York Law Journal, December 1, 2000
"Albany lead paint lawsuit settled: Landlords, county named in claim," Schenectady Gazette, November 30, 2000
"Lead poisoning cases in courts: County programs face litigation," Schenectady Gazette, April 30, 2000
"Albany County liable for lead injuries: jury," Schenectady Gazette, February 24, 2000
"Lead Paint Poisoning Case Ends in $2.8 Million Pact," New York Law Journal, December 2, 1999
"County Held Partly Liable in Lead Paint Verdict," New York Law Journal, November 4, 1999
"$1.8M awarded in paint poisoning," Albany Times-Union, October 28, 1999
"Albany Faces Lead Paint Fears, Lawsuits: Number of Children Testing Positive for Poisoning is Disproportionately High," Albany Times-Union, September 12, 1999
