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Lead poisoning is a terrifying ailment, made even more horrible by the fact that it is entirely avoidable. All too often, lead poisoning is a direct result of negligence. Unfortunately, knowing that it is someone else’s fault doesn’t help when you are suffering from it and need financial help.
When that has happened, you need compensation that will cover a lifetime’s worth of expenses resulting from lead poisoning. But how much money is that, and how can you accurately determine it?
Costs of Lead Poisoning
Victims of lead poisoning suffer a lifetime of distress. Depending on when you are first poisoned, you may experience symptoms like:
- Learning difficulties or decreased brain development
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Severe fatigue
- Sensory damage
- Seizures
- Memory loss
- Miscarriage or sterility
- Headaches
- Organ damage
Lead poisoning has no cure, and the symptoms usually worsen as you get older. Many of the symptoms can limit your ability to hold a job or function in everyday life.
At a bare minimum, you will likely be eligible for all medical costs resulting from lead poisoning. With a lifetime’s worth of symptoms, that could be tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars.
You may also be eligible to receive compensation for any wages that you lose due to symptoms that prevent you from working. And if lead poisoning prevents you from working completely, you could receive compensation for the career you were prevented from having.
Liability and Compensation
Typically, if you are a victim of lead poisoning, another party is liable for your illness. For instance, lead poisoning is often a result of unsafe building practices. Lead pipes and lead paint are two of the biggest culprits.
These were common building practices in the past that have since been proven unsafe. Building owners are required to warn residents and must renovate when a warning won’t protect them.
Unfortunately, many building owners ignore these responsibilities, resulting in harm to their residents. If you or a loved one has been the victim of that negligence, the building owner is liable for the harm you suffered and all future consequences. In addition to medical costs and lost wages, you can likely sue for:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental distress
- Loss of companionship
- Additional punitive damages
- Funeral expenses, if applicable
You could receive compensation for your suffering or the suffering of a loved one if they died due to lead poisoning.
The Value of a Lead Poisoning Case
The value of your lead poisoning case typically depends on when you are first poisoned. Young children can get lead poisoning from lead in water or from accidentally eating lead-laced paint chips. Adults are equally in danger from tainted water, especially if they have recently moved into a new home.
When a child is poisoned, they are likely to suffer developmental damage and require a lifetime of assistance. The expected costs for a lifetime of medical bills and lost wages are usually well into the millions.
If you suffer lead poisoning as an adult, the compensation value you are eligible for depends on how severe your symptoms are and whether they prevent you from working. For example, if you are earning $80,000 a year and expect to work another 15 years, you could be eligible for over $1 million in lost wages alone.
An experienced lead poisoning attorney can accurately determine how much compensation you are owed based on your age, current work experience, and medical information.
Pursuing Compensation in a Lead Poisoning Case
If you are suffering from lead poisoning in San Diego, CA, our attorneys at Thompson Injury Law have been helping injury victims pursue the justice they deserve since 1976. To speak with a dedicated environmental lawyer, call us today.
