Carbon monoxide poisoning kills more than 400 Americans every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If your child suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, you should speak with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. If someone else’s negligence caused the incident, they could be liable to you and your child for the damages and injuries caused.
What Causes Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Children?
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that comes from burning fuel. Exposure in the home usually happens because of malfunctions or leaks in furnaces, chimneys, or gas-powered space heaters and stoves. It is extremely poisonous to people that inhale it. It replaces the oxygen in a person’s blood and starves the body of oxygen, earning it the name “the silent killer.” Carbon monoxide poisoning can be especially harmful to unborn babies, children, and older adults.
Symptoms
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:
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Headache,
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Dizziness,
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Nausea,
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Loss of consciousness,
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Irregular heartbeat,
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Shortness of breath, and
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Respiratory failure.
Severe carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to permanent brain or heart damage. High levels of carbon monoxide can kill someone in a matter of minutes. Someone could pass out or die from carbon monoxide poisoning without even realizing it is happening.
Liability for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
If someone else’s negligence caused your child’s exposure to carbon monoxide, they are likely liable for your damages. Examples of carbon monoxide accidents that could happen because of someone else’s carelessness include:
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Defective devices;
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Landlords or property managers that fail to maintain rental properties or carbon monoxide detectors;
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Schools, nursing homes, hotels, or other buildings that do not have working carbon monoxide detectors; and
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Maintenance companies improperly install devices or fail to test devices for leaks.
There could be a number of parties that are liable for your child’s carbon monoxide poisoning, such as product designers, manufacturers, sellers, landlords, and maintenance companies.
Damages in a Carbon Monoxide Case
Your carbon monoxide lawyer may be able to recover the following compensation for you and your child:
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All past and future medical expenses, including future treatments;
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Pain and suffering; and
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Loss of enjoyment of life.
There is no average settlement for carbon monoxide poisoning cases. Your attorney will go over the facts of the case with you and help you figure out how much you stand to recover for your child’s carbon monoxide poisoning claim.
Litigating a Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Claim
According to this California carbon monoxide poisoning attorney, proving liability in a carbon monoxide case can be difficult. These cases are generally complex—you must prove that the parties you are suing were negligent in their duties of care and that your child suffered damages as a result.
You will need medical records to support your claim that your child suffered carbon monoxide poisoning. You must have evidence that the issue happened because of someone else’s negligence, i.e. that a device was not properly maintained or that someone failed to install carbon monoxide detectors. Your attorney will work with you to put together a strong case that supports your claim.
You should not try to take your child’s claim to trial on your own. You stand a much better chance at recovering fair compensation for your child’s injuries with an experienced carbon monoxide attorney by your side.
