Miami Accident Lawyer Blog
The environmental dangers of playing in neighborhood parks have been brought to the forefront as popular playgrounds including Coconut Grove’s Blanche Park and Merrie Christmas Park are shut down for soil testing. First, Blanche Park, which is located on Shipping Avenue in the mid grove, was closed when high levels of the toxic chemicals arsenic and cadmium were found there. Now, Merrie Christmas Park, located on Le Jeune, road is the site for testing and research, overseen by City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff and Mayor Tomas Regalado. The next step will be that, all Miami public parks will be tested, in order to determine whether or not they are safe for children.
Personal injury law firms that specialize in premises liability cases such as Gerson & Schwartz, PA located in Miami, Florida can take action should any child or adult suffer serious injury from exposure to environmental contaminants due to negligence and hazardous activities on property. Damages can be recovered if a child has been exposed unlawfully chemical contaminants in water, soil, or dirt that causes them to become sick. If you or your child, has tested positively for high levels of poisonous substances such as lead or other heavy metals, and you believe that it is a result of a danger on the premises of another such as a school, public establishment, park, or playground contact Gerson & Schwartz PA. today for a free consultation.
Park research and testing will also include a historical view into what the land’s use was before it became an area for children’s play. According to records, the Blanche Park site was used to dispose of trash and served as a dump for incinerator ash. Evidence has shown that over 30 times the lawful limit for arsenic was detected, however. Although, there is conflicting evidence and the investigation is new and ongoing, this is alarming for any parent. Toxins such as metals found in the environment, that can cause severe illness, mental retardation, and cancer in individuals exposed even for a short period of time, can affect the health and safety of our children. This is a very serious matter.
If the city, did not research the land area, in which it authorized public parks or playgrounds to be built, then they may be at fault for any injuries or illnesses that children may contract as a result of playing there. Many parents are concerned about the health of their children who would have ingested dirt or inhaled its compounds during playground time. Although, Blanche Park was recently covered in astro turf, the playground itself was dirt when the park was created.
The neighboring dog park is an additional danger to hundreds of dogs and their owners, who visit there. As for Merrie Christmas Park, it does not have a covered or contained area where children can play. Thus, it is entirely possible that anyone playing on that playground or its soccer field has been directly exposed to contaminants such as arsenic, copper, barium or cadmium. For more information about how we can help, contact the premises liability attorneys at Gerson & Schwartz, today for a free consultation. Call (877) 475-2905 or email info@gslawusa.com.