Albany Lead Poisoning Lawyers

Have you or a family member in Albany, Latham, Schenectady, Troy, Saratoga Springs or the surrounding area become ill due to lead poisoning? Our top-rated Albany personal injury lawyers at Belluck & Fox can help you hold those responsible for your lead poisoning accountable. Our accomplished attorneys will fight tenaciously for the fair and full compensation you and your loved ones deserve.

Lead poisoning lawsuits can be quite complicated, but our dedicated attorneys have more than two decades of experience in handling these types of complex injury claims successfully. Over the years, our nationally respected trial lawyers have recovered more than $1 billion for injured and ill clients and their relatives — and we’re ready to assist you now.

Please call our law office at (518) 621-2699, or fill out our online contact form today to set up a free consultation with one of our Albany lead poisoning lawyers. We will review your case at no charge and answer all of your questions related to a lead poisoning lawsuit. We also welcome to visit our office at 646 Plank Road, #105, Albany NY 12065. However, if you are unable to travel, an attorney is always available to meet with you in your home or anywhere else that is convenient.

How an Albany Lead Poisoning Attorney Can Help You

We all know that lead paint is a common cause of lead poisoning, but lead can be found in many other workplace and household items, some of them surprising. Lead pipes, unfortunately, still are common. Lead also can turn up in household dust, certain toys, even soil.

Our experienced lead poisoning attorneys in Albany will thoroughly investigate your case, including pinpointing the cause of you or your relative’s illness. We will collect key evidence and identify all parties that can potentially be held liable.

Our dedicated team will document all the damages that you and your family have suffered as a result of lead poisoning. We at Belluck & Fox know what evidence we need to prove the medical issues that arise in these cases, and we are determined to demand the maximum amount of money you and your family need for recovery ─ both now and in the future.

Our compassionate lawyers do not charge any fees upfront or out of pocket to start work on your case. These claims often involve tangling with government agencies or large companies. We have the staff and the resources needed for such a battle, and we won’t charge you anything unless we win compensation for you.

Common Sources of Lead Exposure in Albany

Capital District residents may be exposed to lead through a variety of sources. Some everyday sources of lead exposure include:

• Lead paint
• Household dust
• Contaminated water
• Cosmetics
• Leaded crystal glassware
• Lead-glazed ceramics and china
• Metal jewelry
• Imported toys
• Contaminated soil
• Imported candies and canned foods
• Auto batteries and industrial products
• Folk medicines and ayurvedics

Symptoms of Lead Poisoning

Lead poisoning can cause a variety of serious health effects, according to the New York State Department of Health. Some common neurological effects include:

• Encephalopathy (brain disease)
• Seizures
• Impaired concentration
• Peripheral neuropathy (pain from nerve damage)
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Hearing loss
• Wrist or foot drop

Gastrointestinal effects can include dyspepsia, constipation, colic, nausea and a lead line on gingival tissue. The Department of Health also warns that lead poisoning can have reproductive effects such as miscarriages, stillbirths, abnormal sperm and a reduced sperm count.

Other possible effects of lead poisoning that the Department of Health notes include hypertension, anemia, arthralgia and myalgia.

This is not an all-inclusive list. There may be other ailments that a person experiences that can be traced back to lead poisoning.

How to Make a Lead Poisoning Complaint in Albany, NY

If you are concerned about lead poisoning and need to make a complaint, you may want to first report the problem locally. Here is the local contact information for making a lead poisoning complaint:

Albany County Lead Poisoning Prevention Program: (518) 447-4620

Saratoga County Lead Poisoning Prevention Program: (518) 584-7460, Ext. 8362

New York State Department of Health Regional District Office: (518) 793-3893

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also encourages people to report lead-based paint complaints, as well as other possible lead contamination. You can do this through the EPA’s website or by calling the National Lead Information Center (NLIC) at 1-800-424-LEAD or 1-800-424-5323.

We also encourage you to speak with one of our Albany lead poisoning attorneys about your legal right to compensation for the health problems you and your family have experienced.

Compensation for Lead Poisoning

People who have suffered lead poisoning may be entitled to several forms of much-needed compensation. This can include payment for:

• Past, current and future medical bills
• Lost wages and diminished future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress

In extreme cases, a jury also may award punitive damages that punish defendants for egregious conduct that shows a willful disregard for others’ safety.

Treatment for Lead Poisoning

The treatments and medical interventions for lead poisoning vary depending on the confirmed amount of lead in a person’s blood, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

One common form of lead poisoning treatment is chelation therapy. This involves consuming a medication with a chelating agent that binds with lead, which is then excreted through the urine. According to the CDC, chelation therapy is “considered a mainstay” to treat children with blood lead levels greater than 45 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL); however, it should be used with caution.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) notes that children with blood lead levels of 20 to 44 µg/dL who undergo chelation therapy can reduce the levels of lead in their blood. But this therapy has not been proven to reverse or diminish cognitive impairment or other neuropsychological or behavioral effects from lead poisoning.

The AAP recommends treatment when a child’s blood lead level is greater than 45 µg/dL and the exposure to lead has been controlled. The CDC Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention case management guidelines say to begin chelation therapy when a person has a blood lead level of greater than 70 µg/dL.

Another kind of lead poisoning treatment for children unable to tolerate the medication used in conventional chelation therapy is ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelation therapy, which involves administering EDTA through an injection.

Lead Poisoning Facts

• According to the World Health Organization, gastrointestinal absorption of lead is enhanced in childhood. About 10 percent of ingested lead is absorbed by adults, compared to as much as 50 percent in children.
• The United States has banned lead-based paints for use in housing since 1978. All houses built prior to 1978 likely contain lead-based paint.
• Nationwide, about 24 million housing units are reported to have deteriorated lead-based paint as well as high levels of lead dust.
• CDC childhood blood lead surveillance data in 2016 showed that 12,135 children in New York State (not including New York City) were confirmed with blood lead levels at or above 5 µg/dL. Compare that to statistics from 2015, when the CDC reported that 8,400 children in the state had blood lead levels at or above 5 µg/dL.
• The CDC also reported in 2016 that 2,179 children in New York State had blood lead levels at or above 10 µg/dL. That compares with 1,534 children in New York with blood lead levels at or above 10 µg/dL in 2015.
• In New York State, regulations required that all school districts tested their potable water sources by October 31, 2016. You can check your school district’s website for these water testing results.

Contact an Experienced Albany Lead Poisoning Lawyer Today

If you or your child has been diagnosed with lead poisoning in the Capital Region, the compassionate New York personal injury attorneys at Belluck & Fox are ready to go to bat for you. Our experienced attorneys have the resources you need to demand maximum compensation and get the justice you and your family deserve.

Our nationally respected law firm has recovered more than $1 billion for our clients over the years, and we will put our skills to work for you and your loved ones. Please call us at (518) 621-2699 or contact us online to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation today. Our attorneys are here to listen to you and answer any questions you may have about lead poisoning claims.