Our Experienced Attorneys Have Collected Over $100 Million for Children Who Were Lead Poisoned

Childhood lead poisoning is a national crisis with long-term consequences. Once a child suffers from lead poisoning, the effects are permanent. Childhood lead poisoning can cause serious learning and behavioral problems. Levy Konigsberg LLP, has recovered more than $100 million dollars for children suffering from lead poisoning, and has partnered with the Philadelphia-based law firm of Green, Schafle & Gibbs to provide high-quality legal representation to families in Philadelphia who have experienced harm caused by lead poisoning.

Lead poisoning is a serious and widespread problem in Philadelphia. In 2014, more than 10% of children in Philadelphia who were tested for lead poisoning had elevated blood levels of lead. There are laws in Philadelphia that apply to landlords whose properties may be contaminated with lead paint. Specifically, the City of Philadelphia requires that landlords who rent homes built before 1978 to families with children under the age of 6 certify that the home is lead safe. This means that, prior to a child moving in, the apartment must be free of chipping and peeling paint, and dust swipes must be taken and tested for the presence of lead. In order to remain lead safe certified, a landlord must repeat this inspection every two years, and must quickly remove or repair any chipping and peeling paint that appears while a child under the age of six lives in the home. A landlord who fails to do this may lose his or her license, and the landlord becomes liable for any harm that comes to a child exposed to lead based paint in the home.

The widespread poisoning of children in Flint, Michigan has put childhood lead poisoning in the national spotlight. Since then, lead has been found in some of the drinking water of major cities including Philadelphia, Newark, NJ and New York City. However, although the focus on Flint and elsewhere has put much of America on notice about lead in drinking water, chipping and peeling lead-based paint remains the most common source of childhood lead exposure.

Lead-based paint is most commonly found in older homes that are rented to low income families. Unlike a school or municipal water system, the government has only indirect means of preventing childhood lead exposure from lead-based paint. It is up to landlords to ensure that a home is lead safe, and it is the landlord's responsibility to abate any lead-based paint hazard that may exist. Since the effects of childhood lead poisoning are irreversible, prevention should be the top priority. That's why many cities, including Philadelphia, have created laws that encourage landlords to take seriously the prevention of childhood lead poisoning.

The only way to prevent the harm from childhood lead poisoning is to prevent childhood lead exposure in the first place. Parents should check their homes for chipping or peeling paint, and contact their landlord immediately if they encounter any. It is also important to get children tested for lead, as it is the only way to know for sure if a child has lead in their system.

If your child tests positive for lead, it is important to get your child the resources he or she needs to overcome the learning and behavioral challenges that result from lead poisoning. Our experienced lead poisoning attorneys can help you get your child the financial resources your child needs after suffering from lead poisoning. Just fill out the website form on this page or call 1-800-659-5349 to get help for your child today.