Lead Poisoning Risks For Children in New York Public Housing

As reported in the New York Times this week, The New York City Housing Authority’s failure to conduct required lead paint inspections has put many children at risk of lead poisoning. Unfortunately, many children throughout New York State are exposed to dangerous lead hazards within their homes on a daily basis.  The best way to prevent exposure is by learning how to identify potential hazards within your home.  Here are some questions that you should ask before signing a lease:

1. How old is the property?  If it was built before 1978, there is a good chance that is contains lead paint.
2. Has this property ever been inspected for the presence of lead?  If your landlord knows that lead paint exists within the property, he must answer this truthfully.  You have the right to receive a signed lead Paint Disclosure from your landlord that includes any information that your landlord has about lead in the property.  You also have a right to receive a book of information about how to protect your family from lead in your home.
3. Is there any chipping, peeling, or deteriorated paint on the interior or exterior of the property?  Don’t take your landlord’s word for it!  Do a walk-through.  If lead paint begins to deteriorate at any time during your tenancy, this may create a health hazard and you should immediately talk to your child’s pediatrician about getting your child tested.

The full effects of childhood lead poisoning can take years to appear because many problems are developmental in nature. Our firm is the largest in upstate New York with a team concentrating in lead poisoning cases. If you were ever told that your child had elevated lead levels, contact attorney Kelly J. Mikullitz in our Albany office for a free consultation.