Lead is a poisonous metal found in common items such as water, soil, paint in old buildings, and cigarette smoke. Personal injury law and federal regulations help protect against the mental and physical damage that results from long-term lead exposure. Below, learn what to look for and what to do if your work environment contains this dangerous substance.

Where Lead Exposure Often Occurs

If your work involves pipe fitting, repairing cars, or working with batteries, you might experience lead exposure. Demolishing or renovating older buildings, including houses and apartments built before the 1978 lead paint ban, can expose you to dangerous lead levels through contact with dust and paint chips. Employees who work in many older buildings, including schools, offices, and hospitals, often absorb the poison because old buildings contain water pipes made of or soldered with lead. The metal from these pipes leaches into the water used for drinking and washing and contaminates it.   

Symptoms of Lead Poisoning

How lead poisoning affects you depends on the amount of the substance in your body. Symptoms include headaches, concentration or memory problems, mood disorders, loss of motor control, or high blood pressure. If you’re pregnant, premature or low-weight births may result. Men may experience low sperm counts or abnormal sperm formation. Severe untreated lead poisoning can be fatal, which is why it is integral to be aware of the warning signs. 

What to Do About Exposure

If you suspect you were exposed to lead at work, seek medical attention and testing right away. To protect your state and federal rights to compensation, it’s wise to consult an attorney experienced in personal injury law for advice as soon as possible.    

Lead poisoning presents a danger to individuals in a variety of work environments. The personal injury law attorneys at Peck & Peck Attorneys at Law are skilled and experienced in protecting the legal rights of individuals in lead exposure cases under state and federal laws. This father-and-son team has more than a 35-year track record of effective advocacy on behalf of clients throughout the Hartford, CT, area. Learn more about their services by visiting their website or call (860) 236-4782 to schedule a consultation.