Woodstock Lead Poisoning Lawyers

Have you or a family member become sick because of lead poisoning in Woodstock? The dedicated Woodstock lead poisoning lawyers at Belluck & Fox stand ready to help hold those responsible for your illness accountable. Our respected legal team will fight tenaciously for the full compensation that you and your loved ones deserve.

Lead poisoning lawsuits are known for being extremely complex, but our experienced attorneys have successfully handled such difficult personal injury claims for more than two decades. Over the years, our nationally recognized trial lawyers have secured more than $1 billion for our clients and their families.

Please call us at (845) 684-4001 or fill out our online contact form today to set up a free consultation. Ourlead poisoning lawyers in Woodstock will review your case at no charge and answer all your legal questions. You are also welcome to visit our law office at 52 Laura Lane, Woodstock NY 12498, or if you’re unable to travel, one of our attorneys will meet with you in your home or wherever is most convenient for you.

How a Woodstock Lead Poisoning Attorney Can Help You

Most people are aware that lead paint is a common cause of lead poisoning, but that’s not the only source of lead in workplaces and homes across Woodstock. Lead pipes remain common, for instance, and lead also can be found in soil, household dust, certain china, even toys.

Our knowledgeable lead poisoning attorneys in Woodstock will independently investigate your case. Because of our past experience, we know how to determine the cause of lead poisoning in your life, identify all potentially liable parties and collect valuable evidence.

Our compassionate legal team will document the damages you and your family have suffered. At Belluck & Fox, we understand what’s needed to prove the medical complications that arise in lead poisoning cases, and we are dedicated to pursuing the maximum compensation for you.

Our devoted lawyers do not charge any fees upfront or out of pocket. Because lead poisoning claims often involve government agencies or large companies, these cases can require lots of resources. Our firm has the resources and the staff necessary to fight this battle for you. That’s why we don’t charge you anything unless we win on our behalf and you receive payment.

Common Sources of Lead Exposure

There are many ways a person, especially a child, can be exposed to lead. Some common sources of lead exposure include:

• Contaminated water
• Lead paint
• Cosmetics
• Folk medicines
• Imported toys
• Imported canned food and food wrappers
• Household dust
• Automotive batteries
• Industrial products
• Contaminated soil

Symptoms of Lead Poisoning

The New York State Department of Health says lead poisoning can affect people’s health in several ways. Some common neurological effects include:

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

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

Other possible effects of lead poisoning include hypertension, anemia, arthralgia and myalgia, health department records show.

This is not an all-inclusive list. There may be other ailments and illnesses triggered by the effects of lead poisoning.

Hotlines for Lead Poisoning Complaints

New York State requires blood lead level tests for all children ages 1 and 2, but caregivers can request this test for a child of any age if he or she lives or spends significant time in housing built before 1978, the Ulster County Department of Health says.

Pregnant women and those who are considering becoming pregnant also can ask their doctors about a blood lead level test. A mother with lead in her blood can pass the lead to her unborn child, the health department says.

If you’re worried about lead poisoning and want to report a complaint with local authorities, call the Ulster County Department of Health at (845) 647-2343.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also encourages people to report complaints and violations regarding lead-based paint. Call the National Lead Information Center (NLIC) at 1-800-424-LEAD or 1-800-424-5323, or fill out this form on the EPA website.

You also can speak with one of our knowledgeable Woodstock lead poisoning lawyers about the harm you and your family have suffered and your legal right to compensation.

Compensation for Lead Poisoning

For the illnesses and harm they have endured, victims of lead poisoning may pursue various forms of compensation. Insurance companies for the negligent parties often agree to settlements to avoid the costs and the risk involved with going to court. However, sometimes an adequate settlement cannot be negotiated, and in these cases, our experienced attorneys will aggressively pursue the claim for compensation in court.  

Regardless, any compensation should cover the losses that a victim has incurred or will incur, including payment for:

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

In extreme cases, a jury may also award punitive damages, which punish defendants for especially egregious conduct that displays a willful disregard for safety.

Treatment for Lead Poisoning

Medical interventions and treatments for lead poisoning vary depending on a person’s confirmed blood lead level, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that the CDC Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention case management guidelines be consulted as needed.

Chelation therapy is a common form of lead poisoning treatment. This involves an oral medication with a chelating agent that binds with lead, then is excreted through urine.

Children who are unable to tolerate the drugs used in conventional chelation therapy can be treated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelation therapy, which is administered through injection.

What You Need to Know About Lead Poisoning in Ulster County

New York State awarded the Ulster County Department of Health one of 15 Childhood Lead Poisoning Primary Prevention Program (CLPPPP) grants to combat lead poisoning. The health department says it has focused a lot of services on Kingston because it has the highest annual incidence of Elevated Blood Lead Level (EBLL) in Ulster County.

As the state’s first capital, Kingston has some of the oldest housing in the nation, with more than 86.9 percent of housing in Kingston built before 1950, the health department says. As such, the department provides free home lead inspections to anyone in the 12401 Zip code, including tenants, landlords and private homeowners.

Those interested can contact the health department by email to schedule an appointment and receive $100 in free cleaning supplies when an inspection is performed inside their home. (Wet cleaning will temporarily reduce any lead hazards found until they are remediated.)

The health department offers free home lead inspections for families whose child has a level of 5 to 14 µg/dL. In addition, doctors, nurses and home visiting agencies can contact the health department to request home lead inspections for their clients.

For landlords and property owners renovating older housing and other buildings, the health department also offers classes that comply with the EPA Renovate Repair and Paint Rule and provides remediation supplies such as respirators, Tyvek suits and booties, and floor enamel. The department also provides information of local EPA Lead Certified contractors for assistance in making repairs.

In spite of this outreach, lead still remains a problem in Ulster County. For instance, a 2016 story from The Daily Freeman noted that elevated levels of lead were found in 20 of 29 water samples taken from buildings in Uptown Kingston, including the Family Court building, the County Office Building and the County Court annex. The levels ranged from 0.015 milligrams per liter to 0.79 milligrams per liter, the story states. The EPA requires corrective action if lead levels reach 0.015 milligrams per liter.

Officials at the time said that the source of contamination likely was the pipes carrying the water rather than the source of the water, the Cooper Lake reservoir in Woodstock, which undergoes regular testing through Kingston’s water department.

Families must be vigilant in recognizing the dangers and effects of lead poisoning, which remains a concern in the Woodstock area and throughout the Catskills and Ulster County. As the World Health Organization notes, gastrointestinal absorption of lead is enhanced in childhood, with children absorbing as much as 50 percent of ingested lead compared to just 10 percent in adults.

Lead Poisoning Facts

• The United States has banned the use of lead-based paints in housing since 1978. All houses built prior to then likely contain lead-based paint.
• About 24 million housing units nationwide are reported to have deteriorated lead-based paint as well as high levels of lead dust.
• In 2015, CDC childhood blood lead surveillance data showed that 8,400 children in New York State (excluding New York City) had blood lead levels at or above 5 µg/dL. The following year, the CDC reported that 12,135 children had blood lead levels at or above that amount.
• The CDC in 2015 confirmed that 1,534 children in New York State had blood lead levels at or above 10 µg/dL. The following year, the CDC reported that the number of children confirmed with this blood lead level rose to 2,179.

Contact an Experienced Woodstock Lead Poisoning Attorney Today

If you or your child has been diagnosed with lead poisoning in Woodstock, let Belluck & Fox’s experienced personal injury attorneys go to bat for you. Our top-ranked attorneys have the knowledge and resources you need to demand maximum compensation and obtain the justice that you and your family deserve.

We have recovered more than $1 billion for our clients — and we’re ready to put our skills to work for you. Please call us at (845) 684-4001 or contact us online to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation today.