Carbon monoxide emissions are present everywhere, and they are not only caused by human actions. However, just because they can happen in nature does not mean you cannot hold someone responsible for allowing the fumes to poison you. If you are a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning, you should evaluate how you got sick and if there were any measures you could have taken to prevent it from happening. If you were helpless to stop it and another party can be blamed, you could file a carbon monoxide poisoning lawsuit with the help of an experienced attorney. You should not be expected to suffer through the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning and have to pay all of the bills yourself if you were not liable for your own injuries. Our Torrance lawyers with expertise in CO poisoning at Normandie Law Firm can help you receive the settlement you deserve.
Common Causes of Carbon Monoxide Emissions
Carbon monoxide can enter the atmosphere in many ways, and not all can be attributed to people. Natural causes like forest fires and the fumes that escape from marshes can be primary causes in certain areas; the wood that burns in blazes and the mixture of gases from swamps can waft down into populated areas and contribute to the already-established presence of carbon monoxide. Those in more open areas may not be as affected because the fumes do not get trapped.
However, people generally contribute to carbon monoxide in the general atmosphere in numerous ways. The fumes from automobile exhausts, especially those of older vehicles or commercial trucks, often contain carbon monoxide. Factories also tend to emit copious amounts of carbon monoxide and other toxic gases; the waste they burn can greatly harm your lungs and body if you are close to the factory. Further, the gas can also be emitted from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes, and given how prevalent smoking is as a habit, it is no surprise when people get sick at home because of the amount of CO emitted from smoking.
Other ways that carbon monoxide can be emitted at home include defective household appliances, such as ranges, stoves, grills, refrigerators, and others; defective items, like leaf blowers, snow blowers, lawn mowers, weed whackers, and more; and faulty heating systems, like fireplaces, space heaters, water heaters, generators, and the like.
Depending on what caused your carbon monoxide poisoning, you could sue for damages stemming from the sickness. A CO lawyer in Torrance can help you get started.
Carbon Monoxide: The Science
Carbon monoxide is created when fuel sources improperly, inadequately, or incompletely burn. These fuel sources contain carbon, and if the carbon is not converted into energy, it will be emitted into the air. This carbon monoxide is extremely dangerous to humans; in large amounts, it can create sickness very quickly, and in small quantities, it can slowly deteriorate your health. It is known as the “silent killer” due to its lack of taste, smell, and odor. You may not know your home is filled with carbon monoxide, especially if you do not have a CO detector.
When carbon monoxide is breathed into the body, it enters the red blood cells and deprives them of oxygen. The cells then continue their routes to the rest of the body, entering organs and giving them energy. However, because the cells are deprived of oxygen, the organs do not receive the necessities they require, and slowly start to become less responsive and begin to have troubles.
In order for you to be cured of carbon monoxide poisoning, you need to stay away from the environment that is filled with the gas, receive pure oxygen (through a breathing tube or by being placed inside of a chamber specifically designed to force oxygen inside your body), and ensure that the cause of the emissions is fixed or removed.
For more information, reach out to a Torrance attorney experienced in CO exposure lawsuits.
Health Effects of CO Poisoning
CO poisoning, as stated above, is debilitating for the body if it carries on over a period of time. Even small doses of CO can cause minor injuries. It is important that you are able to recognize the symptoms yourself so that you can pursue the necessary medical treatment; often, doctors and other healthcare professionals will misdiagnose the condition because the symptoms are not singularly indicative of CO poisoning. Many times, individuals are sent home to rest because they are purported to have the flu or a bug that is going around. Being sent home to a potentially carbon monoxide filled house can drastically worsen the condition.
If you feel any of the following symptoms, go to a doctor immediately ask to have your oxygen levels tested:
- Nausea
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Mood change
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Balance issues
- Confusion and delirium
- Vomiting
- Loss of consciousness
- Muscle weakness
The more you know about the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, the likelier it is that you will be treated and cured. If you do not pursue medical treatment immediately and allow yourself to continue to be exposed to the toxic gas, you may suffer various injuries, including:
- Memory loss
- Cognitive problems
- Heart failure
- Sleep troubles
- Persistent headaches
- Lung troubles
- Brain damage
- Death
For some, carbon monoxide poisoning can be the end. Do not let the sickness wreak havoc on you or your family – take care to check for emissions and get checked out by a doctor if you feel ill. If you need to pursue a lawsuit or if you have questions on how to proceed once you have discovered a cause for CO emissions, get in touch with our carbon monoxide exposure law firm in Torrance.
Legal Action
If you have been harmed by carbon monoxide poisoning, you should pursue legal action if you were not at fault for your injuries. There are numerous potential parties that you can sue depending on how your CO poisoning came about.
You may be able to sue your landlord if he did not properly inspect your home before you moved on and allowed you to live with a defective appliance or heating system that gave off carbon monoxide. Further, if your landlord did not have a carbon monoxide detector installed, he could be in violation of the Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2010, which mandates that all rented-out homes must have the devices in side of them.
A business that sold you defective products could also be the target of your lawsuit, as can the property owner of a premises. You may not be able to pinpoint exactly what caused your carbon monoxide illness to worsen, but if you can show that the entities in charge were negligent, you could receive compensation.
In order for you to sue for carbon monoxide poisoning, you must be able to prove the four points of negligence: that you were owed a duty of care, the duty of care was breached, the breach led to an incident, and the incident caused physical harm. If you are unable to show these four points as true, you will likely not be able to collect any compensation at all. Further, if you wait too long, you will not have the ability to take any action whatsoever. There is a two year limit on the amount of time you can file a personal injury claim. This statute of limitations can be extended if you were a minor at the time of the incident or if the defendant leaves the state, for example; a Torrance lawyer for carbon monoxide poisoning can make sure that you have the maximum time allowed to file a claim.
Compensation
A Torrance lawyer with experience in carbon monoxide poisoning lawsuits can ensure that you receive various types of compensation for your carbon monoxide injuries, including coverage for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damage, punitive damages, and more. If you need to file a carbon monoxide wrongful death lawsuit to receive compensation for the untimely death of a loved one or family member, we can help you earn the funeral expenses, loss of consortium, loss of expected inheritance and savings, pre-death pain and suffering, pre-death medical expenses, and more.
You deserve the utmost care if you were harmed because of carbon monoxide emissions in your home and another party was liable for the damages.
Our Goals
At Normandie Law Firm, our aggressive lawyers do everything possible to win your lawsuit for you and bring you the compensation you deserve. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a very serious illness, and if you were not responsible for causing the damage to your home and body, you should not be expected to cover the expenses. We promise to sue the relevant party and secure you a settlement you will be satisfied with.
Call us today to schedule a free legal consultation with an expert attorney. During the consultation, you can ask any questions you want about carbon monoxide poisoning lawsuits and what kind of process you’re in for. We believe all of our clients should be inquisitive and informed about their claims so there are no surprises and you know what to expect as the case carries on.
By selecting us for representation, you will get our zero fee guarantee, which is a promise that you will never have to pay any out of pocket expenses for our services. Our fees will be taken care of only if we win you a settlement; the money will be taken out of the sum, so the insurance agency will pay your legal bills. If we lose, you owe us nothing at all.
Contact Normandie Law Firm to speak with an accomplished CO lawyer today.
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