My landlord wants to perform lead dust testing in my apartment. How should I ensure that it is done properly?

It is important that you obtain and record the name of the entity that is performing the testing and confirm that the person conducting the testing is a properly certified person who has been trained in lead testing. Ask to see his/her documentation attesting to certification and take a picture of it with your cell phone if at all possible. We always try to video-tape such testing, as the manner that lead samples are removed or lead dust is tested can influence the test results rendering them unreliable and possibly inaccurate. Remember, carefully document the person’s qualifications and try to create a record of the manner of testing. It is always prudent to retain a lead poisoning lawyer as early as you can after learning that there may be a lead paint issue in your apartment. In New York lead poisoning lawyers can be helpful in guiding you in assembling evidence that may be important in the event that you end up in litigation.