In the late 20th Century, significant attention was paid to the impact lead poisoning could have on Americans. Much of the publicity surrounding lead poisoning involved children eating paint chips filled with lead. Action was taken to reduce the use of lead in paint, attempting to prevent future problems while acknowledging an industry error impacting countless families. Occasionally toys are recalled due to paints used in their decoration, but this issue has largely quieted down in recent years.
Unfortunately, a new round of lead poisoning has reached the public’s awareness, specifically those whose lead pipes were filled with contaminated water, leading to community-wide catastrophe.
The Catastrophe of Lead Poisoning
Lead poisoning related to the community’s water is not something that just started, but has reached widespread awareness in 2015 and 2016. The water crisis inflicted upon Flint by preventable events suddenly made lead poisoning a national news topic and made the idea of testing water in schools, communities and more a significant reality. This idea of testing comes from an increasingly failing infrastructure relying upon lead containing pipes and potentially harmful water. This crisis extends beyond the borders of Michigan and has recently appeared as a problem in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. So what do residents of these communities need to know about lead poisoning?
In short, lead poisoning involves a person consuming lead in a way that immediately introduces this harmful substance into the body’s bloodstream. Due to this exposure, key organs can face distress on a short and long-term basis. The long-term implications of lead poisoning are oftentimes the critical focus of health officials moving forward, as tragic consequences have been tied to lead poisoning for children and pregnant women. In fact, when it comes to children who suffer lead poisoning, the impacts can extend for decades to come.
If you are concerned about lead poisoning, your first step should be to get a blood test done. When lead poisoning becomes a community concern, area health departments and institutions (schools, churches, etc.) oftentimes provide free testing. Whether free or at a cost, this test is very important due to the range of treatments necessary to alleviate lead poisoning symptoms. According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no such thing as a safe level of lead poisoning, meaning anyone who is concerned that they may be suffering from this dangerous condition is advised to seek medical attention immediately. Doing so can help in beginning the long road of recovery when lead becomes a part of the drinking water.
When it comes to estimating the amount of any final recovery, your challenges extend beyond health problems and into the costs and damages suffered. Lost wages, costs associated with treatment and more are all items that should be included in a claim. Should a member of your family face long-term complications due to lead poisoning, though, it’s important that any claim made on your behalf take into account the significant costs that the future can, and will, usually hold.
Our firm has decades of experience helping those facing long-term challenges receive the financial awards needed to cover costs now and for years to come. Contact out offices today to find out how this process of recovery for lead poisoning can proceed, and get the compensation you need and deserve to begin overcoming this unfortunate crisis.