Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a serious issue that can have lasting health effects on a victim. It is a preventable health and safety risk that can be avoided with proper care. If you or a loved one has suffered carbon monoxide poisoning in Seguin, Texas or the surrounding area, please contact Hill Law Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers for a free legal consultation. You may be eligible for financial compensation.
Why Choose Our Seguin Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Attorney?
- Attorney Justin Hill and his team have many years of experience representing personal injury clients in Texas. We have in-depth knowledge of carbon monoxide poisoning law.
- We have a 99 percent case success rate. We have achieved millions of dollars in results for clients, including a $5 million settlement for a premises liability case involving an injured child.
- Your attorney will make sure you have everything you need throughout your case. We take the time to personalize our services for each unique case and client.
- Our law firm operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning you won’t pay your Seguin carbon monoxide poisoning attorney anything unless you win your case.
How a Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Lawyer in Seguin Can Help
Personal injury cases involving carbon monoxide poisoning can be complex. You may need an attorney to help you navigate the laws surrounding your case, such as Texas’s premises liability or product liability statutes. A Seguin personal injury attorney with experience handling CO poisoning cases will know how to negotiate with insurance companies and litigate these particular claims.
You can rest and focus on healing while your attorney investigates the incident, determines fault and liability, collects evidence to support your claim, hires experts to testify on your behalf, and negotiates with insurance providers to achieve a maximum settlement. Your Seguin carbon monoxide poisoning lawyer will know exactly how to protect your rights and achieve the case results you need using strategic representation that always puts your best interests first.
What Is Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when an individual inhales too much carbon monoxide, which is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that is produced by the inefficient burning of fuel. CO inhalation can be extremely dangerous, as this gas can build up in the blood and prevent oxygen from circulating in the body. If not detected in time, carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to tissue damage, brain damage, organ damage, organ failure and death.
Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
A carbon monoxide leak can be impossible to detect, as it has no taste or smell. For this reason, victims of CO poisoning often do not notice they are breathing in this gas until it is too late, and they are already experiencing the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Symptoms may include:
- Dizziness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headache
- Weakness or fatigue
- Rapid heartbeat
- Chest pain
- Disorientation
- Shortness of breath
- Blurred vision
- Loss of consciousness
- Coma
Even a small amount of carbon monoxide inhalation can cause harmful oxygen deprivation. Prolonged exposure or high levels of carbon monoxide can lead to severe or permanent effects, including brain damage, memory loss, cardiovascular problems and death.
Carbon monoxide is produced by incomplete combustion. If an appliance such as a furnace or wood-burning grill is not operating properly, it could produce and release CO into the air.
Many different things can produce carbon monoxide in Seguin, such as:
- Motor vehicles
- Boats
- Gas ovens
- Furnaces
- Portable heaters
- Exhaust systems
- Water heaters
- Generators
- Kerosene heaters
- Chimneys
- Grills
- Gas dryers
- Industrial machinery
If CO is emitted in an enclosed or unventilated space, it can build up in the atmosphere and become a health hazard to anyone in the area. Children, the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions are most at risk of CO poisoning.
Can Someone Be Held Liable for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
Yes, someone can be held liable, or legally and financially responsible, for a case of carbon monoxide poisoning if it is deemed that this person or party contributed to the issue through an act of negligence or misconduct. Negligence in personal injury law refers to the failure to act in a reasonably prudent manner, resulting in harm to others.
Property Owner
Property owners have a responsibility to take measures to prevent incomplete combustion and CO poisoning cases. If appliances are broken or not properly maintained, this increases the risk. A lack of safety equipment, such as carbon monoxide detectors, can also contribute to cases of CO poisoning. In these situations, a property owner or landlord could potentially be held liable through a premises liability case.
Product Manufacturer
Another possibility is holding the manufacturer of a defective product responsible for carbon monoxide poisoning. If a product released an unsafe amount of carbon monoxide due to a defect, the manufacturer could be held responsible through a product liability claim. In many cases, injured consumers do not have to prove that a manufacturer was negligent to hold the entity liable for a defective product under the rule of strict liability.
Employer
Finally, if you suffered carbon monoxide poisoning at work in Seguin, your employer may be held liable if there was an issue with workplace safety. For example, if your employer violated a safety regulation in an industrial setting by failing to properly ventilate the area or provide protective equipment to workers – including CO monitors or ventilators – the employer could be held accountable.
Establishing Liability for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
You may be eligible for compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more as a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning in Seguin. Proving your case and obtaining compensation requires clear and convincing evidence that someone else is at fault.
You or your Seguin carbon monoxide poisoning attorney must demonstrate that the accused party owed you a duty of care, breached this duty with a negligent act or omission, and that this caused your CO poisoning. The burden of proof that must be met is a “preponderance of the evidence,” meaning more likely to be true than not true.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Attorney in Seguin
It is important to hire an attorney right away if you are a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning in or around Seguin. The other parties involved in your case, including insurance providers, will not want to maximize your financial recovery. An attorney, on the other hand, will work hard to achieve the best possible results for your case.
To speak to a carbon monoxide poisoning lawyer in Seguin, contact Hill Law Firm Accident and Injury Lawyers for a free case consultation. Call (210) 960-3939 or contact us online anytime.