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What a blood lead number means
The Frankel Law Firm has been helping victims of lead poisoning and serious personal injuries for more than 40 years, and we are proud of that legacy. The lab slip is a number from one blood draw — not a grade, and not a promise of what a case is worth. If you have the slip, please call for a free consultation, and bring the number to the doctor and to this firm. There is no fee to speak to us or for us to evaluate your potential case.
There is no safe level
The CDC has identified no safe blood lead level in children. A blood test is how exposure is found.
As of October 28, 2021, the CDC uses a blood lead reference value of 3.5 µg/dL to identify children with levels higher than most children’s. That figure is a population-based measurement. It is not a health-based standard or a toxicity threshold, and it is not a New York damages cutoff. The CDC blood-lead reference value used in our materials is 3.5 µg/dL.
New York State’s parent materials still note that children with results greater than 5 µg/dL may need additional follow-up. That sentence is not the same as the CDC’s 3.5 reference value, and the two should not be treated as one figure.
What the number does not tell you
A venous test is accurate for the moment it is drawn. Lead moves out of the blood into the body, so a child can have had a higher level at an earlier date. The date of the test matters.
A lower number is still a reason to call. We have recovered many millions of dollars for victims of lead poisoning. Dated announcements include cases with reported levels of 11 µg/dL and, for one of two sisters, 6 µg/dL. Those announcements are past results — not a rule that any similar number produces a similar result.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What to ask the doctor
Ask whether the test was capillary or venous, whether a second test is needed, and what to do about the home. This firm does not read the slip as medical advice.
New York law requires lead screening at ages one and two. A child who spends time in older housing may need testing the doctor orders even if those birthdays have passed. That is a medical decision.
New York City requires clinicians to report blood lead levels of 3.5 mcg/dL or greater within 24 hours. That is a clinician reporting duty — not a parent response clock, not an inspection deadline, and not a firm promise.
The same CDC materials note that if blood lead levels are 45 µg/dL or greater, healthcare providers may recommend medication to help remove lead from the body. That is public-health guidance, not medical advice from this firm.
Michael Stewart Frankel and Reuven S. Frankel welcome your call.
There is no fee to speak to us or for us to evaluate your potential case.
Lead poisoning information
A telephone call or online inquiry does not create an attorney-client relationship. The firm represents a client only if it agrees to do so. Please do not send medical records until representation has been agreed. Attorney Advertising.