Maryland Accident Law Blog
The Housing Authority of Baltimore City says it is “not possible” to pay almost $12 million in existing Maryland lead poisoning judgments. According to City Housing Commissioner Paul T. Graziano says that the agency just cannot afford to pay.
The nearly $12 million is for nine court judgments, and the housing authority is still facing 175 Baltimore lead paint cases, which could up the amount the city owes for these claims to $800 million. Some lawmakers are outraged the city’s response.
Although Maryland’s lead law, which was passed in the 1990’s, has decreased the number of lead poisoning incidents that occur each year—the lead risk reduction law mandates that owners of rental units constructed before 1950 fix them to reduce lead exposure risks—incidents of lead poisoning are still diagnosed on a regular basis. According to a 2010 report by the state’s Department of the Environment, more than 500 kids under the age of 7 were diagnosed with lead poisoning in 2009. 347 of the cases were in Baltimore, the leading city for exposure to lead because of the age of the city’s housing. There are still homes and building that have lead paint on windows, walls, or molding—even if they have been painted over.
Lead paint on a property is a hazard and can be grounds for a Baltimore personal injury lawsuit if injuries or illness result. Young kids are especially at risk of serious harm from exposure to lead paint, which can affect physical and mental development and in certain cases lead to death. Adults are also prone to injuries from lead poisoning.
Serious lead poisoning side effects:
• Learning difficulties
• Developmental problems
• Decrease in mental functioning
• Mood disorders
• Muscular weakness
• Miscarriage
• Lower sperm count
• Memory loss
Baltimore’s Housing Authority Says It Can’t Afford To Pay For Lead Paint Poisoning Claim, CBS Local, April 5, 2011
Officials focus on gaps in lead paint law, Baltimore Sun, August 27, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Lead in Paint, Dust, Soil, Environmental Protection Agency
Lead Poisoning, Mayo Clinic
More Blog Posts:
Maryland Jury Awards $2.5 Million Baltimore Lead Paint Verdict to Siblings, Maryland Accident Law Blog, November 5, 2009
Hundreds of Washington DC Children May Have Been Exposed to High Levels of Lead in City’s Tap Water, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, January 27, 2009
Lead Paint Discovered on Washington D.C. Park Fence Near Where Hundreds of Kids Play, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, September 20, 2007
Contact our Baltimore personal injury lawyers today.