New Jersey’s lead poisoning problem

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New Jersey is reducing its budget concerning programs designed to alleviate lead abatement. It has been asserted that the program implemented from 2006 to 2010 reduced the lead exposure children faced by as much as 63 percent. Activists that are opposed to the spending cuts have asserted that lead poisoning will again be on the rise and lead to brain injuries. It is also asserted that such lead poisoning will affect the poor most of all. Whether such concerns are warranted depends on one's point of view. Budget constraints are mostly beyond our control, and there could be any number of reasons for why money for such funding will no longer be available. However, property owners that have failed to remove this dangerous condition from apartments and homes may find themselves being sued if children are injured due to lead poisoning. Such property owners have a duty to keep their premises safe. It has long been known that lead poisoning can also lead to brain injury in children. Lead exposure has been associated with ailments including autism, ADHD and lower IQs. The brain damage that is due to such exposure is generally irreversible. If individuals suspect lead exposure in their premises or feel their children may have been injured due to contact with such lead, it might be in their best interest to consult with an attorney experienced in the personal injury area. Such attorneys can have the matter investigated and make an independent determination as to whether dangerous levels of lead are present. Source: NJ.com, "Christie wrong on N.J.'s lead abatement program," May 18, 2012