Charleston is a city full of history, time honored tradition and lead based paint. There are 21,117 housing units built prior to 1950, many of which are used as low income rental property. The result is that children living in these homes are routinely exposed to lead through chipping paint, dust and contaminated soil. Thousands of children have been lead poisoned by old Charleston houses.
Children in Charleston will cease to be lead poisoned only when the disparities in housing are addressed. Agencies such as HUD, EPA and public health simply do not have the resources to adequately address the magnitude of this problem. Housing abatements and remediations are costly and so are the therapies, special services and medical care often needed by lead poisoned children. It would seem logical therefore to look toward those who contributed to the problem and who have financially benefitted from the manufacture of lead paint to take responsibility in the clean-up process.
On behalf of children who have incurred disabilities as a result of lead poisoning, the Charleston based law firms of Mark C. Tanenbaum, P.A. and Ness, Motley,Loadholt, Richardson and Poole are taking on the lead industry. The Firms are currently representing over 500 children in Charleston alone.
This poster will demonstrate the ways in which the Firms are working to provide lead safe housing and eliminate health disparities through the process of lead litigation in a local setting.
Learning Objectives: 1. Discuss the goals of lead litigation on a local and national level. 2. Identify three ways a lead poisoned child can benefit from legal action. 3. Describe and recoginze the importance of a positive working relationship between public health agencies serving lead poisoned children and the attorneys representing them
Keywords: Child Health, Lead
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.