There is no safe level of lead exposure, even small amounts of this poisonous heavy metal will likely cause adverse health effects. Lead is a highly toxic poison that may lead to lifelong health problems and may even be fatal without medical treatment. Lead poisoning occurs with a build-up in your body from prolonged lead exposure or a one-time highly toxic dose. If you or a loved one has been exposed to dangerous or sustained levels of lead, you want to know, "is lead poisoning reversible?" While lead poisoning can be treated, any damage that has already occurred cannot be reversed.
At the first sign of lead poisoning, immediately seek medical help. A simple blood test can determine the level of exposure and you doctor can begin a treatment plan to stop moderate poisonous lead from causing further harm. More severe exposure will require a treatment called chelation therapy to bind and remove built-up levels of lead from your system. After the cause of contamination is determined and eliminated, it is important to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to find out if you are eligible for a settlement to help you through this difficult time.
The compassionate lead poisoning advocates at Johnson Attorneys Group safeguard legal rights for innocent victims of lead poisoning. We have the experience and resources to determine negligence and recover damages including medical expenses, future medical treatment, loss of income and the pain & suffering you have endured.
Sources of Lead Poisoning
Once widely used in gasoline and paint, lead still has an acceptable presence in our daily lives in the manufacturing of roofing materials, batteries, pipes, pottery, solder and even some cosmetic products. But some unsafe lead-based products and banned remnants still pose serious health risks for anyone who comes in contact with them. Here are the most common sources of lead poisoning in the US today:
- Lead-Based Paint - Lead-based paints have been banned in the US since 1978. Peeling and chipping lead-based paint in older homes pose an exposure risk for residents, especially children.
- Lead Pipes - Lead particles can be released into tap water from copper pipes and plumbing fixtures that have been soldered with lead.
- Pottery Glaze - Lead found in the glaze on some ceramic, porcelain and china dishes may leach into food stored or served in the dish.
- Unregulated Imported Products - Products like toys imported from countries without strict lead-based safety regulations pose a risk for lead exposure. Canned goods with dangerous lead solder are banned in the US but are still manufactured in other parts of the world.
- Lead Bullets - Prolonged exposure to spent lead bullets, from long periods of time at a firing range, for instance, may result in lead exposure.
- Other Sources of Lead may include:
- Soil - Lead is found in the earth's crust as a naturally occurring element. Contaminated soil from residual lead-based manufacturing, mining, and leaded gasoline can pose problems around working or abandoned mines, urban settings and highways.
- Household Dust - Dust from lead-based paint in homes built before 1978 is a form of potential toxic lead contamination.
Lead Poisoning Symptoms
Children are the most susceptible to the toxic effect of lead and can suffer permanent adverse nervous system and brain damage. Lead is a dangerous poison that can affect just about every system in the human body. Adults will most often suffer from kidney damage and increased risk of high blood pressure. While initial symptoms of lead poison can be hard to detect, the gradual build-up of lead will cause the most damaging symptoms to appear when dangerous amounts accumulate. Early signs of repeated lead exposure may include:
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Abdominal Cramps
- Sleep Problems
- Constipation
- Loss of Appetite
- Tingling in the Extremities
- Joint or Muscle Pain
Serious symptoms of lead toxicity may include:
- High Blood Pressure
- Anemia
- Kidney Dysfunction
- Mood Disorders
- Concentration or Memory Issues
- Reduced Sperm Count
Lead poisoning can lead to brain and nervous system developmental problems in unborn babies. Exposure to lead during pregnancy can cause high blood pressure in the expectant mother and may result in a miscarriage, premature birth or devastating stillbirth delivery.
Ingestion or extreme exposure causing a potentially deadly toxic dose of lead and will require immediate emergency medical attention. Symptoms of lead poisoning from a toxic high dose include:
- Vomiting
- Severe Abdominal Pain
- Muscle Weakness
- Confusion
- Seizures
- Coma
Lead Poisoning Treatment
The vast majority of lead poisoning cases go undiagnosed because most individuals are asymptomatic. Treatment options will vary for each individual, depending on blood lead level results from testing. Adults suffering from a moderate lead exposure will usually recover completely, without complications. Due to their still-developing brain, nervous system and other systems, low to moderate lead poisoning may cause permanent disability in children and recovery will take time. Recommended lead poisoning intervention and treatment by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) includes:
- Avoiding Further Exposure (by removal or sealing off contamination)
- Activated Charcoal
- Chelation Therapy
- EDTA Chelation Injection
- Treatment of Individual Symptoms
Take Action, Protect Yourself and Seek Legal Help
If you or a family member has been diagnosed with lead poisoning from lead-based paint, lead soldered water pipes, products containing lead or work-related lead contamination, it is important to take action and contact an experienced, qualified lead poisoning advocate in California. Contact Johnson Attorneys Group or give us a call at 800-208-3538 for a free case evaluation. Our caring and compassionate legal associates have the resources and will fight to get you the settlement you deserve. See what our clients are saying about us by viewing our case results here.
