Jury Awards Nearly $21M in Baltimore Lead Paint Case.
If you have been concerned about the legal risks and liabilities due to the RRP rule your concerns may be well founded. Although very brief and lacking details, this Associated Press article from the Washington Examiner is probably very bad news for renovation contractors and landlords:
Associated Press
10/06/10 10:50 PM EDT
BALTIMORE — A Baltimore City jury has awarded a 23-year-old woman nearly $21 million after finding she suffered lead poisoning while living in an apartment owned and maintained by the Housing Authority of Baltimore City.
Attorney Brian Brown says the $825,000 in economic damages and $20 million in non-economic damages awarded Wednesday is one of the largest he has ever seen, but it will likely be reduced because of the state's $350,000 cap on non-economic damages.
Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Alfred Nance will determine, within the cap, how much Marie Carter will get in non-economic damages.
The case was based on circumstantial evidence because the property had been demolished before it could be tested for lead paint. Brown says Carter's IQ was diminished by 10 points, to 89, which is below average.
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