Legal news for Rhode Island premises liability attorneys—Landlord failed to warn tenants of lead-paint exposure before leasing.
Woonsocket, RI (NewYorkInjuryNews.com) – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) www.epa.gov investigated a landlord who now faces penalties for neglecting to inform his tenants about the fifteen-units in three apartments that may have exposed them to lead-paint. The Rhode Island landlord was reportedly in violation of federal lead-based paint requirements, in which he is required inform tenants of the risks if exposed to lead paint.
Lead paint exposure can lead to numerous health problems, especially in children. It is mandatory by the Disclosure Rule, to let tenants know if they are at risk for exposure to this toxic chemical and to offer educational materials about the risks before they signed their lease agreement.
In June 2008, EPA officials reported that the landlord, John Laughter, had not given his tenants the pertinent information before they signed their leases at the apartment, which were built before 1978 in Woonsocket. Laughter now faces $ 11,000 in fines. The risks of exposure to lead paint can cause developmental problems in children, reading and learning disabilities, impaired hearing, behavioral issues, high blood pressure, joint pain, memory issues, and muscle aches.
Government laws require all landlords and property owners, along with real estate agents to inform all potential renters of the lead-paint risk for houses or apartments built before 1978. The EPA provides an educational pamphlet about the warning signs and risks associated with lead-paint.
Bridget Hom
www.NewYorkInjuryNews.com