A brother and sister have recently been awarded £1.6m in a claim for poisoning by toxic lead paint for their exposure in a house that was sold to the family as safe from lead paint by a nonprofit organisation called City Homes.
The body stated that the home cleared city lead inspections before and after the siblings had lived there and also that the charity had been responsive to all of the claimant’s concerns.
However, experts stated that the house was not fully “lead safe” and that both siblings have below average IQs as a result of lead paint poisoning. The jury was told that there had been efforts to minimise the chance of lead paint exposure, that there was paint chipping and flaking on surfaces, that rats had chewed at the walls and had brought lead dust through the house.
Lead paint poisoning can lead to severe and permanent brain damage and developmental issues in children, nervous system injury seizures or convulsions, growth or mental retardation, and comas. In some very extreme cases, it can lead to death.