Average Case Value for Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning

Carbon monoxide poisoning causes over 20,000 people per year to become ill. Although the sickness is treatable, it is not the easiest to detect, and many individuals do not get treatment until other options have already been exhausted. Many doctors do not notice the symptoms point to carbon monoxide poisoning because of how similar they are to other sicknesses. Individuals who become afflicted with the illness should take care to determine where they contracted it and how it came about. If the cause of the illness can be attributed to the negligent behavior or actions of another party, you could have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit and receive financial compensation for your injuries. Since every case is different, there will always be a varying amount of compensation you can earn; there are numerous examples of settlements that have been reached that could give you an idea. Our carbon monoxide exposure law firm, Normandie Law Firm, can help you file a carbon monoxide poisoning lawsuit against the responsible party. 

Carbon Monoxide Information

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and toxic gas that is emitted when fuel sources do not properly burn. When kerosene, oil, propane, gasoline, charcoal, or wood is burned incompletely or impurely, the carbon escapes and turns into carbon monoxide. It is dangerous for humans to breathe the gas in due to its toxic nature; it invades the body and deprives the red blood cells of oxygen, killing them. When the red blood cells do not transport energy to the rest of the body, the organs begin to shut down and fail. This process can happen very quickly if there are high concentrations of carbon monoxide present in the air. 

To learn more, call a CO lawyer today. 

Symptoms

The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can point to other illnesses. You may not be aware that you are afflicted with such a sickness, but if you want to be sure, you should ask your doctor to check your oxygen levels. They are a much better indicator that you have carbon monoxide poisoning. If you feel any of these symptoms, go to a medical professional immediately:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Loss of balance
• Loss of coordination
• Muscle weakness
• Shortness of breath
• Loss of consciousness

These symptoms can eventually lead to full issues if you do not get help. Some doctors may recommend that you go home and rest, which can be a devastating choice if the source of carbon monoxide is at your house. The effects can be as follows:

• Memory loss
• Delirium
• Heart trouble
• Lung trouble
• Persistent headaches
• Trouble sleeping
• Cognitive issues
• Brain damage
• Death

The more severe your damages from carbon monoxide poisoning, the higher the chance you will earn a hefty settlement. If you need a recommendation for a skilled medical professional to treat your illness, call our lawyers with expertise in CO poisoning.

Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements

Sources of Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide can be emitted from a number of sources, some of which are naturally occurring or always present around us. Forest fires, marshes, swamps, and mines have a lot of gaseous interactions and emit fumes that are dangerous to humans, but they are usually not as damaging because of how open the air is; the concentration is seldom high. There are also tons of fumes emitted daily around you by people smoking, cars driving by, and factories burning waste.

The most common sources, though, are found in buildings, whether they are apartments and homes or commercial properties. Many household appliances, like stoves, grills, and refrigerators, are privy to carbon monoxide emissions if they are faulty, damaged, or improperly ventilated. Heating systems, like furnaces, boilers, water heaters, and fireplaces, are also capable of giving off toxic fumes. These should all be properly inspected by landlords and property owners to determine if they are safe for human usage or if they need to be replaced. 

In addition, there is also the chance that a company will sell products that can emit carbon monoxide gases. Most of these products are meant to improve the home or property in some way; gas-powered lawn mower, leaf blowers, chainsaws, and snow blowers all use a lot of fuel, but if the products were improperly designed, they could emit fumes. Owners often leave these products in the basement or in the garage for long periods of time, and over those weeks or months, carbon monoxide can be emitted and become very concentrated in the air. 

If you need help determining the cause of your carbon monoxide poisoning, call a lawyer with experience in carbon monoxide poisoning lawsuits. 

Who to Sue

Depending on the source of your carbon monoxide poisoning, you may be able to take action against a responsible party. Any landlord who did not properly inspect the appliances and heating systems in your apartment can be held responsible for your carbon monoxide poisoning. It is the duty of your landlord to ensure that you are renting a home that is safe and free from dangers, and by violating that duty, they could be hit with legal action. However, if the problems with an appliance or heating system came about after you already moved in, you would likely be unable to file a lawsuit; it would be hard to prove that it was your landlord’s negligence and not yours that caused the issues. 

Your landlord must also make sure that he has installed a carbon monoxide detector in your home. The Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2010 mandates that all homes intended for human occupation must have these detectors in them, or the landlord could face legal action. Property owners must also have detectors, but they are more difficult to sue. They also tend to provide hazard warnings and notices of potential toxic gases to those who enter the buildings.

Businesses, on the other hand, may not always provide such warnings, and they could thus be held responsible for any faulty products they sell that cause carbon monoxide poisoning. You should take care not to throw away the item, despite the fact that it can cause continued harm; you should move it to a place where it won’t affect you and wait for a lawyer for carbon monoxide poisoning to tell you what to do with it. Do not give up any products to the company or you will lose your evidence and likely be unable to file a claim. 

Potential Earnings

With the help of a CO exposure poisoning injury lawyer, you could earn various types of compensation for your damages. Your medical expenses could be covered, as well as any lost wages you suffered due to missing work. You may also receive reimbursement for property damage, and the emotional damages you went through could be taken care of as well. By filing a carbon monoxide wrongful death lawsuit, you could also receive coverage for funeral expenses, loss of consortium, pre-death pain and suffering and medical expenses, and more. 

Average Case Value for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Lawsuit

There is no surefire way to determine how much your case will yield, and the average value of your case is not easily figured out. Small differences in situations could be enough to bump your case amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Below, we have provided some sample verdicts and settlements that show how much you could potentially earn in a carbon monoxide poisoning claim. 

• $1,300,000 Verdict: A Texas jury awarded four electricians a sum totaling over one million dollars after they suffered severe brain injuries from carbon monoxide poisoning. Another worker began working on a fire-safety system when the four electricians were trapped in a room; the room eventually filled with toxic levels of emissions. 
• $150,000 Settlement: A couple sued the property owner of their apartment building after their infant child died after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning. The cause of the emissions was determined to be a defective heating unit, which should have been properly inspected by the landlord. 
• $35,000,000 Verdict: 20 different workers received a collective sum of millions of dollars after a leaking boiler exposed them to high levels of carbon monoxide emissions. The individuals worked at a steak house, which could have also exposed customers to the gas as well.
• $90,000 Settlement: A defective furnace in a woman’s apartment in Michigan caused carbon monoxide emissions. She suffered injuries and sued her landlord for negligence. 
• $28,000,000 Verdict: A young Wyoming woman in her early 20s received a record-setting verdict for her injuries caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. The furnace at her apartment complex was leaky and caused toxic emissions.

Second Opinion

Many clients who come to us inquiring about the average value of a carbon monoxide lawsuit already have legal representation and want to make sure they are being offered a fair sum. Their current lawyers may not be working their hardest to represent them. Unfortunately, that is not uncommon with attorneys; many choose to rush through cases as quickly as possible so they can receive fast checks and sign up even more clients. They usually pressure clients to accept low settlements instead of fighting and negotiating for more. 

If you come to us, we will give you a free second opinion on your case and current representation. If we feel you are being taken advantage of, we will tell you and try to help you take another route.

Our Firm

Our expert lawyers at Normandie Law Firm are here to help you get the settlement you deserve for your carbon monoxide poisoning injuries. You should not be expected to pay for your own damages if another party could be held liable for them. We are aggressive in our negotiations and will not stop until we secure you a settlement that you are satisfied with, and if necessary, we will go all the way to court to bring you a fair deal.

Call us today to receive a free legal consultation with an accomplished lawyer. If you have questions, we will gladly answer them. We will also inform you about our zero fee guarantee, which promises that you will pay no out of pocket expenses for our services; our contingency fee operation means that we only get paid if we win your case, and the money is taken from the sum in the settlement we bring you. The insurance agency will essentially cover your legal bills. If we lose, we eat the costs of the case ourselves, and you owe nothing.

To speak with an attorney experienced in CO exposure lawsuits, contact our law offices in Los Angeles today.