The de Blasio administration recently came under fire after it became public that the administration had not conducted appropriate tests for lead in public housing for at least five years. Not only had the tests not been done, but the administration apparently lied to federal inspectors, claiming the inspections were conducted and that the public housing structures were within acceptable lead limits.
The scandal has reignited recently after the New York City Housing Authority finally released assumedly full reports on lead poisoning testing. According to the data, 1,160 children who live in New York City public housing have tested positive for lead poisoning since 2012. This result is all the more shocking when compared to previous lead poisoning reports from the Health Department, which included 19 and 820. The lessened numbers are likely the result of using a higher threshold of lead per deciliter of blood in patients tested. It is believed the Health Department only acknowledged lead poisoning in a child if they had at least twice the amount of lead in their bloodstreams that federal tests cite as dangerous.
With the Health Department slowly releasing lead poisoning test results to the public, and apparently not conducting federally-accepted testing, many are worried the situation is actually much worse than it appears to be already. It will also be important to compare the total number of children living in public housing managed by the New York City Housing Authority to the total number of children who test positive for lead poisoning.
(For more information about the ongoing NYCHA lead poisoning scandal, you can click here to read a full article from the New York Post.)
Call Our New York Lead Paint Poisoning Attorneys
Do you live in public housing in New York City? Has your child been diagnosed with signs and symptoms of lead poisoning? You deserve the truth from the Health Department, as well as compensation and peace of mind.
Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP can help you file a claim against the appropriate parties after your child tests positive for lead poisoning. In the past, we have helped secure multiple multimillion-dollar verdicts in lead paint exposure cases, including a $58 million verdict against the NYCHA. See what we can do for your case by calling (212) 684-1880 or contacting our New York personal injury lawyers online.
Thomas P. Giuffra, Partner
Thomas specializes in the litigation and trial of significant civil sexual assault, medical malpractice, personal injury, mass tort, and product liability actions. His innovative approach has led to 20 verdicts and numerous settlements in excess of one million dollars on behalf of his clients, including a recent landmark verdict for $58 Million. He has been recognized as "outstanding in the field of advocacy" nationally and internationally.
