LANDLORD BASICS FOR DEFENDING LEAD PAINT POISONING LAWSUITS IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

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For an initial courtesy consultation with the Maryland-headquartered national lead paint poisoning
defense law firm of Charles Jerome Ware, Attorneys & Counselors, contact Attorney Charles Ware and his colleagues at charlesjeromeware@msn.com,  (410) 730-5016, or (410) 720-6129.


Landlord Basics For Defending Lead Paint Poisoning Lawsuits in Baltimore, Maryland :


To begin, the landlord must engage in investigative undertakings to assess the veracity of a potential claim or a pending claim of lead paint poisoning.
In certain circumstance,  (a) investigative results may confirm that the premises are poorly maintained and that the child may indeed have suffered ill effects from exposure to lead paint or lead dust within the building.  In other cases,  (b) prompt investigation may help in documenting that a plaintiff's allegations of lead poisoning are misplaced.
In either case,  a vigorous investigation by the landlord or agents of the landlord should help the defendant landlord's attorney as well as liability claims professionals in assessing which cases should and can be resolved --- and those which should be defended through the trial process.


In an effort to reduce potential claims and assist in the defense of claims being pursued, Attorney Charles Ware recommends that Baltimore landlords adopt and incorporate the following measures:


       1. Prior to renting the premises to anyone, require the applicant-tenant to disclose in writing the names and current ages of all persons who will reside in the premises.
        2. Inspect the premises WITH the applicant-tenant and require them to sign an inspection sheet confirming that each room is free of peeling, flaking, or other defective paint conditions.
        3. Conduct periodic inspections of each apartment or residence anf follow the same procedure with respect to the maintenance of inspection sheets(checklists) signed by tenants.
        4. Treat ALL complaints of peeling or flaking paint conditions as emergencies requiring immediate attention.
        5.  Retain Maryland-licensed and insured contractors with experience in the field to perform any required lead abatement work.
        6. Paint the premises every three years and maintain copious records of all maintenance, repair, and paint work performed within each unit.
        7. If denied access to the premises to perform these inspections or maintenance work, document the denial within the tenant's folder immediately, and follow-up with a letter to the tenant confirming their failure to allow the landlord to gain access to the premises.
         8.    Keep safely all of the abovereferenced records for at least 21 years.
         9.   Be ever alert to the fact that lead paint poisoning in Baltimore is considered by many to be a healthcare crisis, thus landlords must be diligent and vigilant in this area.