Building Owners Allegedly Conceal Lead Paint Hazard From Tenants

Case Overview

This case involves an apartment building that was discovered to have dangerous levels of lead paint. An investigation was launched following complaints from more than 20 apartment tenants, most of whom had been living in the building for several years, whose children presented with symptoms of lead poisoning. It was alleged that the building owners were aware of the toxic conditions and elected to conceal the health hazards from tenants. An expert in the field of toxicology was sought to address the possible consequences to human health that exposure to lead paint may have.

Questions to the Toxicology expert and their responses

What are some likely effects of exposure to environmental lead and arsenic?

Lead toxicity manifests as anemia, neurologic dysfunction/ deterioration, growth retardation, kidney injury and gastrointestinal tract issues. Arsenic can cause neuropathy, damage to hair, skin, nails, and kidney injury. The timing of these symptoms and signs varies depending on the duration and dose of exposure and baseline health of the individual.

About the expert

This highly qualified expert has over 15 years of experience in medical toxicology. He earned his BA from the University of Texas at Austin, and his MD from Baylor College of Medicine. He went on to complete a residency in emergency medicine at University of Texas Southwestern, and joint fellowships in medical toxicology at the University of California, San Diego, and the California Poison Control System. He works as a peer reviewer for 7 journals, including American Association of Poison Control Centers Annual Report and the Journal of Medical Toxicology. He previously served as the director of toxicology at the University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, as well as a staff emergency physician at Kaiser-Permanente Hospitals. Currently, he serves as an associate professor of clinical emergency medicine at a medical school in California, as well as the associate medical director at the California Poison Control System. He has published 35 peer-reviewed articles, 6 books and book chapters, and 76 abstracts.