$200,000 Settlement for a 3 Year Old Girl Who Suffered Toxic Lead Poisoning

In May, 2009, a 3 year old Waterbury girl was diagnosed with lead poisoning following a routine blood test by her pediatrician. Following additional blood tests, which showed that she had lead levels as high as 76 micrograms per deciliter in her blood, she was admitted to Connecticut Children’s Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, where she underwent seven rounds of chelation therapy. According to the American Academy of Pediatricians, a lead level in excess of 10 micrograms per deciliter is considered to be lead poisoning and is highly toxic to children. After the child was diagnosed with lead poisoning, she and her family were removed from the apartment by the City of Waterbury Health Department, whose lead inspectors found toxic lead levels in excess of 1.0 milligrams of lead per square centimeter of surface as measured on site by an x-ray fluorescence analyzer, due to lead paint that was located throughout the apartment.

As a result of her injuries, the child subsequently developed problems in school. The child was examined by a neuropsychologist from the Yale Child Study Center, who determined that she had impairment in her working memory due to the lead poisoning, causing her to have difficulties in school. Suit was instituted against the landlord in Waterbury Superior Court. Following a mediation which was held two weeks before trial, the case settled for the total sum of $200,000.