Toxic Tort

Heavy Metals (Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium, Manganese)

Heavy Metals (Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium, Manganese)

Heavy Metals Are Not “Low-Level Risks”

These are not obscure chemicals or hypothetical dangers. They are well-documented toxic metals that can cause irreversible neurological damage, organ failure, developmental injury, and fatal disease, even at levels that were dismissed or ignored for years.

When exposure occurs through drinking water, industrial emissions, or contaminated products, the consequences can be catastrophic and preventable.

Mercury metal
Philly Skyline
Waste

How Toxic Metal Exposure Happens

Heavy metal cases often trace back to everyday systems people are forced to trust.

Common exposure pathways include:

  • Contaminated drinking water, including municipal water systems and private wells
  • Industrial emissions released into air, soil, or groundwater
  • Manufacturing byproducts improperly handled or disposed of
  • Consumer goods containing unsafe levels of toxic metals
  • Premises contamination where property owners failed to remediate known hazards

In many cases, the danger was known or should have been known long before families were harmed.

The Injuries Are Severe and Often Permanent

Toxic metal exposure is linked to some of the most devastating outcomes seen in toxic tort litigation.

Depending on the metal and duration of exposure, injuries may include:

  • Severe neurological damage
  • Cognitive impairment and developmental delays in children
  • Kidney, liver, and cardiovascular failure
  • Respiratory disease
  • Cancer and systemic organ damage
  • Fatal poisoning and wrongful death

These cases are not about minor illness or temporary discomfort.

They are about lives permanently altered or ended by exposure that never should have occurred.

Traumatic Brain Injury
Interior of metalworking factory

Who May Be Held Accountable

Heavy metal exposure cases frequently involve powerful entities that failed to protect public health.

Potentially responsible parties may include:

  • Municipal water suppliers that delivered contaminated water
  • Manufacturers that released or concealed toxic byproducts
  • Industrial operators that exceeded safety limits or ignored environmental controls
  • Premises owners who failed to address known contamination risks
  • Distributors and sellers of unsafe consumer goods

How We Handle Heavy Metal Cases

Heavy metal cases are evidence-driven and science-intensive. They require:

  • Environmental testing and historical exposure analysis
  • Medical causation supported by toxicology and epidemiology
  • Regulatory and compliance investigation
  • Clear documentation of preventable harm

McEldrew Purtell approaches these matters with the understanding that the stakes are not theoretical. When exposure leads to catastrophic injury or wrongful death, accountability must reflect the full scope of harm.

Lawyer going through papers
mom holding hands trust comfort

When Toxic Exposure Takes Everything, Accountability Should Follow

When toxic metal exposure results in catastrophic injury or wrongful death, families are left carrying consequences they did not create and could not prevent. These cases are not just about proving contamination they are about uncovering who failed to act, who ignored known risks, and who must be held responsible for irreversible harm. If you believe heavy metal exposure has altered your life or taken someone from your family, this is the moment to seek answers and demand accountability.

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