Los Angeles Mold, Lead & Asbestos Attorneys

Asbestos, lead and mold exposure can lead to serious, even life threatening, health conditions. As a tenant, your rental unit should be free of these environmental hazards and your landlord has a legal obligation to ensure that it is.

Unfortunately, some landlords are difficult to communicate, are negligent or simply unwilling to take the steps necessary to protect their tenants from dangerous conditions. That is why California law provides several remedies for tenants, ensuring that their rights are protected.

Exposure To Asbestos

If you find asbestos in your rental unit, this likely makes it uninhabitable. If that is the case, then you may have the right to withhold rent or terminate your lease and move out before the end of your leasing period. However, if the asbestos is not airborne, then you should ask your landlord to conduct a professional inspection of the asbestos the material - even in cases where it does not impose an immediate risk to your health.

In some situations, temporarily relocating may be the best option to protect yourself from harm from asbestos. This may be the case if your lanlord is conducting renovations or repairs to your rental property. The landlord may be liable for the cost of temporary housing during this time.

Tenant Exposure To Mold

The health risks arising from mold are not as clear as those from asbestos and other harmful chemicals, but it can cause health problems nonetheless. Mold can also damage your belongings if it goes unchecked. If your landlord was responsible for the condition that caused the mold, then they  may be required to pay you for the property damage.

California law requires landlords to disclose the known or suspected presence of mold to current and prospective tenants. Some cities have passed local ordinances as well.

Similar to other hazards, your landlord has a responsibility to remove mold from your rental unit. However, if the mold is caused by your actions as a tenant, then the landlord is not obligated to address the problem.

Tenant Exposure To Lead

Lead in even small amounts can greatly affect your health. According to the Mayo Clinic: “Children under the age of 6 are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning, which can severely affect mental and physical development. At very high levels, lead poisoning can be fatal.”

The use of lead-based paint in new housing has been illegal in the United States for decades. However, there are thousands, if not millions, of apartment buildings and rental homes that were built before 1978 and may still contain lead paint. California has passed laws to protect renters against the health hazards that may be caused by lead-based paint. These laws do not require a landlord to remove lead-based paint from a home or apartment, however, landlords are required to provide written disclosures regarding any lead-based paint located on the property.

Contact Schwimer Weinstein as soon as possible.

If you feel you may have been exposed to any of the above, and have developed health problems as a result, you may have cause for action against the party that exposed you. It is critical to perform detailed testing in the contaminated premises and seek treatment from a medical specialist with experiencing diagnosing and treating illnesses relating to exposure to toxic substances.

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