Carbon monoxide poisoning is often referred to as the silent killer, because the gas is odorless, colorless, and tasteless. Victims may or may not have symptoms, but even if they do, they generally fail to recognize the source of the problem, which is why CO poisoning causes severe injury and death.
High levels of carbon monoxide can exist on any property, including people’s homes, apartment buildings, and hotels. The vast majority of cases where people are injured involve negligence by the owner or operators of the property. Product manufacturers can also release products with defects, which expose the consumer to carbon monoxide levels that make them sick.
What does this mean for you and your legal rights? You may be eligible for a lawsuit against the homeowner or business that failed to protect you from harm. For more information on your rights as an injury victim, contact the Fresno carbon monoxide poisoning lawyers of Normandie.
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How People are Exposed to Carbon Monoxide
You can be exposed to carbon monoxide from various sources, but the root cause involves fuel that is burned incompletely or improperly. This released impure carbon into the air, which is toxic when breathed in by humans and animals. Possible fuel sources responsible for CO poisoning include kerosene, propane, gasoline, wood, and oil. More specifically, here are examples of circumstances that can cause toxic emission of carbon monoxide:
- Car exhaust, particularly from larger vehicles, like pickup and semi-trucks
- Defective appliances, such as stoves and ovens.
- Tools and equipment like chainsaws, leaf blowers, and lawn mowers with defects that result in fuel burning inefficiently.
- Malfunctions with heating and cooling systems (space heaters, water heaters, fireplaces, etc.)
- Tobacco and related products for smokers, like cigarettes, cigars, and hookah pipes.
- Factories that emit industrial waste
- Natural occurrences like wildfires, which causes high levels of CO to spread out to residential areas.
Symptoms of Poisoning by Carbon Monoxide
The symptoms of CO poisoning can be mistaken as signs of many other illnesses, which is why so many people do not seek help until it’s too late. If you suspect that you have CO poisoning, it’s imperative that you get to a hospital right away, so that a doctor can check your oxygen levels. If low oxygen levels are detected in your bloodstream, this is a classic symptom of toxic CO exposure. This is caused by deprivation of oxygen to your cells, and the longer it goes on, the greater the impact on your brains, heart, lungs, and other vital organs.
Here are the symptoms you should be on the lookout for when it comes to carbon monoxide poisoning:
- Dizziness and/or headaches
- Fatigue
- Confusion and feeling disoriented
- Shortness of breath and other respiratory problems
- Vomiting
- Muscle weakness
- Delirium
- Loss of consciousness
Injuries Resulting from Excessive CO Levels
As we said before, seeing a doctor immediately is the key to overcoming the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning. Otherwise, you could end up with one of more of the following health conditions:
- Frequent headaches
- Memory loss
- Cognitive problems
- Permanent respiratory issues
- Sleep deprivation
- Brain damage
- Heart conditions, like arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, and heart failure
- Death
Who can You Sue for a CO Poisoning Incident?
Some cases of CO exposure can’t be blamed on anyone, like incidents that involve natural disasters and other circumstances beyond our control. Or, you may get sick from being surrounded by a large number of cars for a long period of time, and this is another instance where no one in particular is at fault.
On the other hand, there are cases where CO poisoning is a matter of someone failing to exercise reasonable care. For example, tenants in an apartment building must be protected from carbon monoxide poisoning by the usage of CO detectors and maintaining appliances and heating systems. These are aspects of a landlord’s duty under the law of premises liability. In fact, landlords in California have strict regulations they must follow according to the Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2010.
You can also file a lawsuit against commercial premises, like office buildings, supermarkets, and motels for negligence leading to dangerous levels of CO emissions. Owners and managers of such businesses may be aware of problems, like broken or improperly installed heating systems. If they took no steps to remedy the problem and guests are injured by carbon monoxide poisoning, a liability claim may be filed against the business owner, property manager, leasing company, etc.
Finally, you may have grounds to sue the manufacturer of a product that leaks high levels of CO. You would have to show that a defect or safety violation with the product occurred while it was still in the manufacturer’s possession. In these situations, you would file a product liability lawsuit as opposed to a claim against the property owner.
A carbon monoxide poisoning lawyer in Fresno can help you determine the party that’s responsible for your injuries. All you have to do is contact Normandie Law Firm and schedule a time to speak with one of our legal experts.
Payments for Those Affected by CO Poisoning
With help from a CO exposure injury attorney in Fresno, you can receive monetary damages that will compensate you for the harm you suffered. As the victim of injuries linked to CO poisoning, you may be eligible for:
- Medical expenses, including cost of lifetime medical care based on the severity of injuries
- Lost wages and other forms of income due to time off from work and/or inability to work
- Non-economic damages, such as mental anguish, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life
- Punitive damages if a jury rules that the defendant’s conduct constitutes gross negligence
If your loved one died after getting ill from toxic levels of carbon monoxide, you may have the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit. From a claim involving negligent death, you can recover payments for funeral expenses, loss of expected savings, loss of consortium, and more.
Contact Normandie Law Firm
By calling us today, you can speak with a Fresno attorney that’s experienced in CO poisoning lawsuits. The process begins with a free consultation, so that you can learn about your rights and legal options. This is the only way to make an informed decision on how to proceed as a victim of toxic carbon monoxide exposure.
If going ahead with legal action is right for you, there is no payment you need to make, since we operate on contingency. With the Zero Fee Guarantee that’s offered to all clients, you do not pay any fees out of pocket. Our expenses are charged to the party that injured you and included in the settlement you receive at the end of a lawsuit. In other words, we get paid at the same time you do. Even more important, you owe us $0 in the event we fail to recover your settlement.
Please get in touch with our attorneys in Fresno if you or someone in your family was harmed by the effects of CO poisoning.
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