Lead Poisoning

Iowa lead poisoning: a growing health hazard that is harming our children
Signs of lead poisoning

The Iowa Department of Public Health's Bureau of Lead Poisoning Prevention recently announced that the rates of lead poisoning in Iowa are on the rise. Iowa children are already four times more likely to be exposed to dangerous levels of lead than other children in the United States. In fact, a shocking 7% of children in Iowa under the age of six have unsafe amounts of lead in their bloodstream. These children can suffer from a spectrum of organ and nerve problems, including mental retardation, learning disabilities, blindness, behavioral problems, anemia, insomnia, developmental problems, and attention deficits.

Why is lead poisoning in children so prevalent in Iowa? The majority of all housing available in Iowa was built before 1978 and a large percentage of available housing was constructed before 1950. These structures have a high probability of containing lead paint that can flake over time and contaminate the air or ground. While Iowa contains a large number of homes that contain lead paint, some believe that the state also lacks tough and comprehensive lead paint regulations.

Experienced lead poisoning lawyers representing real Iowa families

At Brady Preston Gronlund, we specialize in helping families in Eastern Iowa receive compensation in the wake of a lead poisoning incident. There are a number of state and federal laws in place to protect children from lead poisoning, and yet the negligence of a landlord, property owner, real estate agent, or even a municipality can still lead to lead poisoning incidents.

There are three common types of Iowa lead poisoning lawsuits:

  • Lead poisoning cases against landlords. The most common and the simplest type of lead poisoning lawsuit comes about when an Iowa landlord does not let their renters know that they are living in a house that contains lead paint or intentionally tells their renter that lead paint is not on the property when they have prior knowledge that there is.
  • Lead poisoning cases against Realtors. The property seller's Realtor or even your own Realtor could be responsible for your child's unsafe blood lead levels. You may have a case against a Realtor if they intentionally did not disclose information about lead paint on the property or if they gave you an improper or inaccurate seller property disclosure.
  • Lead Poisoning cases against housing departments. If you were receiving Section 8 rental assistance at the time of your lead poisoning incident, you could have a case against your housing department. Local housing departments are responsible for inspecting and approving properties before their Section 8 tenants move in.

Two recent laws have been passed in Iowa in hopes of reducing dangerous levels of lead exposure and catching cases of lead poisoning early. In 2007, the Iowa legislature passed a law requiring all children to be tested for lead before entering kindergarten, helping health officials pinpoint lead poisoning issues in individual homes and removing lead from contaminated environments.

In 2009, the Iowa legislature passed a new state regulation called the Renovation, Remodeling, and Repainting Rule. This new set of rules require that all home contractors must take an 8-hour certification class on lead safety during renovations and that all contractors must know how to safely repaint and remodel older homes without exposing occupants to lead paint chips or lead paint dust.

Order a copy of our free Iowa lead poisoning report, "Get the Lead Out."

Iowa lead poisoning lawsuits can be extremely complicated and it is sometimes difficult to understand how your lead poisoning claim relates to previous cases, federal laws, and state regulations. Our short, free report, "Get the Lead Out" can help you better understand Iowa lead poisoning lawsuits and whether or not you require a lead poisoning attorney for assistance. "Get the Lead Out" contains information concerning:

  • The effects of lead on children under the age of six
  • Iowa lead poisoning statistics
  • Lead poisoning case law and litigation in Iowa
  • Proving lead poisoning damages in court
  • The Residential Landlord Tenant Act
  • The Lead-Based Hazard Reduction Act
  • The Lead-Based Poisoning and Prevention Act

Order your complementary copy of "Get the Lead Out" and begin to learn more about lead poisoning in Iowa. If you believe that you may have an Iowa lead poisoning lawsuit, or if you simply want to learn more about your specific case, call Brady Preston Gronlund today at 319.866.9277 for a confidential consultation or fill out the quick electronic contact form to the right of this page.