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The devastating impact that carbon monoxide poisoning can have on families and communities has resulted in laws in Texas being amended to compel every homeowner, building owner, apartment landlord, and daycare center operator to ensure they have a portable carbon monoxide detector on their premises. They should follow the premises liability laws that pertain to carbon monoxide exposure.
However, despite these efforts, cases of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning incidents do still occur. It seems there is still a need for the public to be educated further on the risks associated with exposure to carbon monoxide—the deadly gas carbon monoxide.
Sadly, a lot of the victims of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning are actually not at fault. The blame, in such cases, lies with the liable parties such as the owners of the building, hotel owners, or those who installed faulty products or defective products, like a defective carbon monoxide detector in an office or home. They can be held accountable through a product liability lawsuit or a wrongful death claim.
If you or your loved one has suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning injuries, and you suspect that the carbon monoxide detectors were improperly installed or failed to detect the gas due to a design defect or manufacturing defect, then contact us. Our legal team is experienced in handling personal injury claims and can explore your legal options.
With us, you are guaranteed to have a trusted and highly experienced personal injury lawyer on your side. Our attorneys can help you determine the actual fault, bring the responsible parties to book, seek compensation, and win justice for you or your family members.
Contact us today, or visit our friendly staff at our law offices in San Antonio, TX, for a free consultation with a carbon monoxide poisoning lawyer.
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What Is Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
Sometimes dubbed “the silent killer,” carbon monoxide poisoning happens when there is a buildup of carbon monoxide gas in the red blood cells, which affects their ability to carry oxygen, leading to tissue damage and loss of consciousness. This usually occurs when there is a carbon monoxide leak resulting in high carbon monoxide concentrations within an enclosed area.
In such cases, your body will replace the oxygen in the blood with carbon monoxide to such an extent that you will be starved of oxygen without even realizing it or feeling any injury. As the carbon monoxide levels continue to build in your body, you will become incapacitated until you reach the point of fatal carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide itself is a colorless and odorless gas that is usually produced by fuel-burning appliances and other equipment that have combustion engines, such as gas furnaces, kerosene heaters, space heaters, and gas-burning appliances. Every year, more than 400 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning across the country. Winter is the most dangerous time of the year that sees a sharp rise in carbon monoxide cases.
Dangers of Carbon Monoxide
Due to the seriousness of carbon monoxide poisoning, our law firm is dedicated to not only fighting for the rights of victims but also educating the public about the dangers of this lethal gas carbon monoxide.
Chief among these is death as a result of carbon-monoxide exposure. Large amounts of carbon monoxide can very quickly overcome you in a matter of minutes, and if you do not receive emergency assistance, the chances of survival are low, and you will soon lose consciousness and suffocate.
Brain cell death leading to permanent brain damage and neurological damage is another serious consequence. Long-term carbon monoxide poisoning can result in permanent disability, affecting your enjoyment of life and leading to loss of enjoyment.
Losing lives this way should never be allowed to happen, which is why you need to contact carbon monoxide poisoning lawyers to stand by your side. Thanks to our stellar attorney-client relationship, our company lawyers are the right people to contact if you have suffered harm or personal injury from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.
How To Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
The first step in preventing severe poisoning from carbon monoxide is to avoid being exposed to the gases in the first place. Visit our law firm for more details on this, but in the meantime, the following tips will help:
- Install carbon monoxide alarms in your home or apartment building and make sure they have a battery backup in case of a power outage. Also, be sure to quickly leave the building if the alarm sounds.
- Hire qualified technicians to regularly service any of your appliances that are known to be potential sources of carbon monoxide, such as fuel-burning appliances.
- If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, then quickly seek medical attention, even if the symptoms are not severe, because even mild poisoning can be dangerous.
- Never run a motor vehicle or car in the garage attached to your house, regardless of whether the garage door is open or not.
- Make sure your stove or fireplace is well vented.
- Avoid using a gas stove for heating the house.
Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Learning to quickly recognize the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can prevent serious injury and be the difference between mild exposure and fatal poisoning.
Victims of mild carbon monoxide poisoning may undergo a full recovery, but those who have been exposed to dangerous levels of the poisonous gas and have suffered severe injuries may live the rest of their lives with the side effects.
Common symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Feeling sick or being sick
- General weakness
- Confusion
- Chest and muscle pain
Some of the very dangerous and potentially long-term side effects of carbon monoxide poisoning include:
- Respiratory problems and other flu-like symptoms
- Brain injury (sometimes permanent brain damage)
- Lost earning capacity
- Organ damage
- Tremors and Parkinsonism
- Mental anguish leading to depression
- Memory loss
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- A severe decline in cognitive ability
Steps To Take if You Think You Are Experiencing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Victims of carbon monoxide poisoning can prevent serious injuries and fatalities by acting fast and knowing the right steps to take whenever they suspect exposure to the dangerous product.
As soon as you hear the detector sounding or you experience one of the early signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, such as difficulty breathing, do the following:
Escape
The longer you are exposed to carbon monoxide, the higher the chances of suffering brain damage, other serious injuries, and even death. This is why you need to get to fresh air immediately. Unlike carbon dioxide, it is very difficult to remove carbon monoxide from the body once it has been absorbed, so a quick escape is the best option.
Call an Ambulance
Carbon monoxide poisoning incidents can be fatal in a very short time, which is why you have to call for help as soon as you can. The other option is to drive the victims to the hospital where they can receive emergency treatment for carbon monoxide, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy to restore blood pressure.
Stay With the Victim
There is not much you can do in terms of first aid when it comes to cases of carbon monoxide poisoning. After you have helped them to fresh air and called the ambulance, the only thing left is to stay with the victim and reassure them that help is on the way.
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How Can a Carbon Monoxide Lawyer Help You?
Our experienced carbon monoxide poisoning lawyers are here to help victims receive the justice that they deserve. We can assist with:
Determine Fault
After such a terrible incident that results in serious injuries or even death, someone has to be held liable. In some cases, product manufacturers, building owners, or hotel owners may try to escape legal liability, but we are here to stop that from happening and ensure that the accident victim gets the justice they deserve. This may involve filing a product liability lawsuit against those responsible for defective products or faulty products due to appliance design flaws or improper maintenance of carbon monoxide sources.
Provide Legal Representation
If the case has to go to court, then we have brilliant trial lawyers who can provide you with legal counsel. Some situations can be very complicated, such as when dealing with a wrongful death claim, and require an experienced attorney who knows the best way to take legal action.
Win Proper Compensation
A personal injury lawsuit or wrongful death lawsuit can result in the victim being awarded economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and non-economic damages like loss of enjoyment of life. Our goal is to help you achieve a favorable settlement and receive the maximum compensation you deserve.
Our experienced carbon monoxide poisoning lawyers are here to help victims receive the justice that they deserve. We can assist with:
Determine Fault
After such a terrible incident that results in serious injuries or even death, someone has to be held liable. In some cases, product manufacturers, building owners, or hotel owners may try to escape legal liability, but we are here to stop that from happening and ensure that the accident victim gets the justice they deserve. This may involve filing a product liability lawsuit against those responsible for defective products or faulty products due to appliance design flaws or improper maintenance of carbon monoxide sources.
Provide Legal Representation
If the case has to go to court, then we have brilliant trial lawyers who can provide you with legal counsel. Some situations can be very complicated, such as when dealing with a wrongful death claim, and require an experienced attorney who knows the best way to take legal action.
Win Proper Compensation
A personal injury lawsuit or wrongful death lawsuit can result in the victim being awarded economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and non-economic damages like loss of enjoyment of life. Our goal is to help you achieve a favorable settlement and receive the maximum compensation you deserve.
Recent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Cases
To further highlight the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, here are a couple of examples of recent cases in Texas alone:
- In February 2021, 11 people lost their lives after desperately seeking warmth during a power outage. Many people brought charcoal stoves into their homes or ran cars in enclosed spaces, which resulted in 1,400 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning across the state.
- A San Antonio father and his two daughters tragically died from carbon monoxide poisoning in early June 2019. This happened after power was cut from the residence and the family decided to use a gasoline-powered generator for warmth.
Common Sources of Carbon Monoxide
A poor ventilation system is almost always part of the problem in cases of carbon monoxide poisoning. The following are common sources of this deadly gas that you should be wary of:
- Fuel-burning products such as gas furnaces, kerosene heaters, space heaters, and gas-burning appliances
- Household appliances with combustion engines
- Fireplaces
- Oil and gas heaters
- Lawnmowers
- Charcoal and gas grills
- Gasoline and diesel generators
- Gas-powered tools
- Water heaters
- Kitchen gas stoves
- Camp stoves
- Automobiles
Home Test for Carbon Monoxide: Carbon Monoxide Detectors
The fact that carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas makes it very difficult to detect using any other means except for carbon monoxide detectors. You must ensure you have one installed in your household by your landlord or property manager, which is actually the legal requirement for most family homes, including daycare centers.
There are other clues that you may see around your home that may indicate that there is a carbon monoxide leak somewhere, such as:
- Brownish or yellow stains around appliances
- The burner flame looks yellow instead of blue
- Soot or smoke lingering inside the house
- A pilot light that repeatedly goes out
However, it must be noted that a carbon monoxide detector is the only sure way of determining whether there are dangerous levels of the gas inside your home. If, for any reason, your property manager or landlord refuses to have one installed, then visit our law firm for a free consultation to discuss how to handle the situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Common Are Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Cases in San Antonio?
Carbon monoxide personal injury cases are on the rise in the city. Due to ever-increasing power outages caused by bad weather, these cases are now very common throughout Texas as a whole, with more than 450 cases reported in 2021.
How Often Do These Cases Result in Death?
These cases do not usually result in death, although most of them do cause serious injuries and long-term disabilities. However, fatalities do occur, leading to wrongful death claims.
How Can Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Be Prevented?
The best way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and ensure the safety of you and your loved ones is to make sure you have installed carbon monoxide alarms that have backup batteries inside your residence.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Attorneys Final Thought
As one of the top personal injury law firms in San Antonio, we invite you to give us a call so we can schedule a free consultation if you suspect that you have been a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning. Our experienced defective product attorneys will help you with the recovery of damages that will cover your medical bills, lost wages, as well as pain and suffering. We will explore all legal remedies available, including personal injury lawsuits, product liability lawsuits, and wrongful death claims if applicable. Contact us today and let our attorneys fight for your fair compensation.
