Alexander County Housing Authority Failed to Protect Residents from Lead Poisoning

Lead paint was banned in 1978 because lead poisoning from chipping or peeling paint is extremely dangerous to young children. Even small amounts of lead in a child’s blood can cause permanent brain damage that cannot be treated or cured.

Yet this did not stop officials at the Alexander County Housing Authority in Cairo, Illinois from falsely certifying that the Housing Authority had complied with federal lead poisoning prevention laws despite multiple reports of lead poisoning in ACHA residences.

At least 13 children have tested positive for lead, after living in the buildings owned by ACHA from 2004 through 2013 according to recent reports. Eleven of the children were residing at the time at Elmwood or McBride public housing complexes. Two of the children were residing in the family public housing complex in Thebes known as Mary Alice Meadows.

As a result of widespread violations and mismanagement at ACHA, the federal government took the drastic step of taking over control of the public housing owned by ACHA in February 2016. In November 2017, HUD filed a complaint against former ACHA officials alleging that they misused ACHA funds and ignored federal laws designed to protect tenants from the hazards of lead paint.

Public housing authorities, such as ACHA, owe tenants and their young children a duty to protect them from the hazards of lead paint. The attorneys at Levy Konigsberg are experts in holding landlords responsible for lead paint poisoning injuries. In addition to being appointed lead counsel on behalf of children who were injured by lead from the Flint, Michigan water crisis, we are currently leading the charge to hold the New York City Public Housing Authority responsible for lying to tenants about compliance with lead paint inspection laws.

Lawsuits for childhood lead poisoning injuries can often be pursued many years after a child is lead poisoned because the statute of limitations in most states does not run out until the child is an adult or even later in some states. As a result, you or your child may be entitled to compensation even years after a lead poisoning diagnosis or blood test.

If you or someone you know has been affected by lead poisoning due to conditions in public housing, contact our experienced childhood lead poisoning attorneys today for a free and confidential case evaluation. Our law firm has recovered over $100 million for children who were lead poisoned.

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