Accidents & Personal Injury Blog

Lead Poisoning: How will I know if my family is being affected by lead poisoning?

While many types of serious personal injuries result from obvious events — car collisions, explosions, assaults, slip and falls, construction mishaps — some significant personal injuries due to environmental toxins can occur without being noticed until permanent damage has been done. Lead poisoning, for example, can cause substantial harm – brain injuries, seizures, organ damage and death – as it builds up in the body.

Know the Signs of Lead Poisoning
Babies and young children are most vulnerable to lead poisoning and it can have a substantially negative effect on their mental and physical development. Even newborns who have been exposed to lead in utero may be born prematurely, have abnormally low birth weight, or show unusually slow growth.

One of the most frightening aspects of lead poisoning is that symptoms may not appear until years after exposure. It is therefore imperative to notify your child’s physician of any lead paint exposure and to inquire as to when it is appropriate to have your child’s lead level tested. Some acute symptoms of lead poisoning include:

  • Developmental delays
  • Learning difficulties
  • Irritability
  • Loss of appetite, weight loss
  • Sluggishness, fatigue
  • Abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation
  • Hearing loss
  • Seizures

It is important to remember that if someone has been harmed by lead toxins, they have until the age of 21 to file a lawsuit.

If you suspect that you or someone you know has been harmed by lead poisoning, the party responsible for the exposure may be responsible to pay for all related costs, including medical fees, lost wages and pain & suffering. It is always wise to have a knowledgeable and aggressive lead poisoning lawyer to represent you.

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