Florida Boy Suffers Brain Injury after a House Fumigation

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Shapiro Law Group

A 10-year-old Florida boy is recovering in the hospital after a routine fumigation left him with a severe brain injury. According to the family, their house was being fumigated to eliminate termites from the property. Terminix and Sunland Pest Control, the companies responsible for the fumigation, allegedly told the family they could return two days later. Upon returning to the house, the family of four became very sick. Everyone but the young boy recovered from the adverse reaction to the pesticides.

Instead of getting better, the boy’s condition worsened. He began to flop uncontrollably, lost his ability to speak, and could not stand up. After several medical examinations at the hospital, doctors determined that the boy had suffered permanent brain damage from chemical poisoning. The once athletic boy has lost 90 percent of his motor skills and may never completely recover.

The chemical used to fumigate the house was sulfuryl fluoride, a pesticide that has been linked to neurological and reproductive damage. Sulfuryl fluoride is an odorless gas used to kill termites, powder post beetles and bedbugs.

The family has hired an attorney and is pressing forward with a lawsuit against the companies responsible for fumigating the house. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family pay for medical bills.

Which Chemicals Can Cause Brain Injuries in Children?

Traumatic brain injuries are not only caused by blunt force trauma. As we have seen in the case of this boy, damage from chemical substances can also harm the brain. For example, insolvents and lead are also known to cause brain injuries. It is likely that once the boy leaves the hospital, he will require months if not years of rehabilitation and therapy.

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