Lead paint lawyer in Baltimore

1. If you're worried about lead exposure, ask your child's doctor about a blood lead test. Many children have no obvious symptoms.
2. Send your landlord a written request for the lead inspection certificate. Maryland renters can get a copy of that certificate for their unit.
3. Jot down your child's test dates along with the stretch of time you lived there, so everything is handy when you call.

In many cases, yes. A lawyer generally checks three things: your child lived in, or spent regular time at, a Baltimore rental where paint was chipping or flaking; blood tests show lead; and the landlord didn't follow Maryland's lead rules or didn't fix the paint.

You don't need all your paperwork in hand before reaching out. The case reviewer can help figure out which records are out there.

The state of Maryland keeps a registry of blood lead findings for children tested there. Having a state registry doesn't mean we already have your child's results, so bring the test dates you know and we'll go over them together when you call.

Maryland usually gives you three years to file a civil suit, and the clock starts when the claim arises, not on the day you hire a lawyer. When the injured person is a child, Maryland has a special rule that holds the clock until the child turns 18, and the three years run from then. Waiting can cost you the right to file, so call now and we'll check the dates that apply to your family.

Maryland's Reduction of Lead Risk in Housing Act applies to rental housing that predates 1978, when the US banned lead paint for homes. It doesn't apply to an owner-occupied home.

Owners must register these rentals with the state and renew each registration by December 31 every year. The state charges $30 per unit.

Each time a new tenant moves in, the owner must have a current lead inspection certificate, unless the home is certified lead-free. That certificate shows the home passed a lead check before you moved in.

Tenants are entitled to their own copy of that certificate for their unit. Landlords who break these rules face fines and can lose legal protections. Their lead paperwork may also come up if there's a dispute over rent or with the Section 8 program.

Since January 1, 2015, Maryland rentals built before 1978 have been covered by these rules, unless certified lead-free. If your landlord skipped them while your child lived there, call today so the dates can be checked while there's still time.

A federal disclosure rule also requires landlords of most homes built before 1978 to tell tenants about known lead paint, with exceptions such as leases of 100 days or less.

Children under 6 suffer the most from lead, and even small amounts can harm a child's health. No blood lead level has been found to be safe for children.

Most kids don't show clear symptoms at first. As time passes, lead can injure the brain and nervous system, hold back growth, and create trouble with learning, behavior, hearing, and speech. Lead stored in the bones can take decades to decrease.

The reference level set by the CDC is 3.5 micrograms per deciliter. Kids at or above it fall within the highest 2.5% of US children between ages 1 and 5.

The CDC's reference level is not a safe limit for children or a cutoff for a legal claim. Call for a free case review so the dates that apply to your family can be checked.

Based on the facts of your situation, a claim might ask for:

• medical care and testing, today and down the road
• therapy, tutoring, or special education help
• the injury to the child's health and everyday life
• lost earning ability later on

Whether any of these apply, and in what amount, hinges on the proof and Maryland law. Nobody can promise an outcome.

A case review costs nothing. Maryland injury lawyers usually take a contingency fee, a share of whatever money comes back, often a third. Maryland says that agreement must be in writing and must spell out how the fee is figured.

Some case costs, like filing or expert fees, may be billed separately. Before you sign, ask the firm to walk you through its fee, its costs, and what you'd owe if nothing is recovered.