Adult Lead Poisoning Attorneys
While lead has numerous uses, the hazards of lead poisoning did not become widely recognized prior to the 1970s. The concern over lead poisoning has generally centered on lead poisoning in children in part because adults absorb lead more slowly. But that makes detection of lead poisoning in adults that much more difficult to ascertain, and the consequences can be serious nonetheless.
Lead is known to have harmful effects on the heart, the kidneys, and on the body’s nervous, reproductive and hematological systems. Adult lead poisoning can lead to a variety of complications, including:
- Fatigue
- Memory loss
- Irritability
- Weakness in fingers, wrists and ankles
- Tingling or numbness in the extremities
- High blood pressure
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Anemia
- Brain damage
- Kidney damage
- Reproductive problems (in men)
- Miscarriage, premature birth, or baby with low birth weight
Lead poisoning or intoxication can result from inhaling or swallowing lead. The lead can then be quickly distributed by the blood to other parts of the body. Among adults, a common source of exposure is the workplace. Up to 1.5 million people are estimated to have been exposed to lead in the workplace. Occupations with a relatively high risk for lead exposure include those that involve:
- Painting
- Metal mining and smelting
- Copper foundry work
- Firearm instruction
- Plastic, rubber and battery manufacturing
- Automotive repair
- Bridge, tunnel and elevated highway construction
Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) regulations limit the concentration of lead in the air in the workplace to 50 ug/m³. A worker with levels of lead above 50 ug/dL is required to be removed from a work area in which the worker can be further exposed to lead.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limits lead emissions from specific industries, and lead had been banned in gasoline and from residential paint and solder in water pipes and food cans. But lead does not break down naturally, and many children and adults continue to be exposed to levels of lead that can lead to serious, often irreversible adverse health consequences.
If you or a loved one has been injured due to lead exposure, you may be entitled to compensation. A review of your case by a qualified personal injury attorney can outline what your legal options are.
