Carbon
monoxide poisoning kills and injures thousands
each year. Carbon monoxide is a colorless and
odorless gas given off during the burning of fuel.
Persons who have suffered carbon monoxide poisoning
due to a faulty or defective product, such as
a furnace, portable generator or gas heater, are
welcome to contact a personal injury attorney
at Lieff Cabraser by clicking
here. Lawsuits against manufacturers not only
provide compensation for injured persons but also
lead manufacturers to make safer products.
Carbon
Monoxide Poisoning: The "Invisible" Killer
Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas that
is produced by burning fuel, such as gasoline, wood, paper,
natural gas, or kerosene.
Cars,
trucks, boats, recreational vehicles, fireplaces, wood
stoves and pool heaters all pose a potential risk of carbon monoxide
poisioning. Cooking or heating appliances when kept in
good working condition produce little carbon monoxide (CO). However,
improperly operating appliances, along with faulty camping
equipment and outdoor gas stoves and malfunctioning kerosene space heaters, can
produce fatal CO concentrations.
Symptoms
of Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning
When
inhaled, carbon monoxide CO quickly enters the blood stream
and prevents oxygen from being transported to the body's
cells. CO initially causes headaches, dizziness, nausea
and fatigue.
Continued
exposure can lead to irregularity of the heart, coma and
death in minutes. For a complete list of the symptoms of
carbon monoxide poisoning, click
here.
Safety
Tips to Avoid CO Poisoning
Running
a car or generator in an attached garage can cause
fatal CO poisoning in the home. If the cab is defectively
designed, sleeping in the cab of a truck while the
engine is running can pose a danger. So can using
a gas-powered generator or burning wood or charcoal
in the basement, crawlspace or even next to a living
area if a window or door is open, as lethal fumes
could seep into your home.
The
best protection against carbon monoxide poisoning in the
home is to have a CO detector installed near your bedrooms.
Be sure also to have your furnace serviced regularly. To
learn more, visit our safety tips
page.
Carbon
Monoxide Poisoning Deaths and Lawsuits
It
is estimated that each year carbon monoxide poisoning kills
5,000 persons in the U.S. and injure over 10,000 persons.
Many
of these deaths are due to faulty or defective products,
including lawn mowers, gas stoves, hot water heaters, furnaces,
fireplaces or snow blowers.
Exposure
can occur even in the outdoors. Cases have been reported
of children who suffered carbon monoxide poisoning from
exposure to boat and jet-ski exhaust fumes.
Persons
who have suffered brain damage, or the families of loved
ones who have died, have filed lawsuits against the product
manufacturers and/or property owners for the injuries they
suffered.
Legal
Rights of Injured Persons
Claims
by persons injured due to carbon monoxide poisoning have
included claims for negligence, strict liability for failure
to warn, and strict liability for a defective product.
Damages
sought in these cases include general and compensatory damages
for:
Past and future physical pain and suffering, mental
anguish and physical impairment;
Past and future medical, incidental and hospital expenses;
Past and future loss of earnings and earning capacity;
and
In cases of wrongful death or serious injury, punitive
damages.
Contact A Personal
Injury Attorney
If
you have suffered a serious injury from exposure to carbon monoxide due
to a defective product or the negligence of another, please click
here to contact Lieff Cabraser. Please note that we wish to
and can only help those already diagnosed with major carbon monoxide-related
injuries (or the families of victims killed by carbon monoxide). Those without
major CO2 related injuries may wish to visit the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission, the Medline
Plus section on carbon monoxide,
or the Health and Safety
Executive pages on domestic gas health and safety.
We
will review your claim for free and without any obligation on your part.
About Lieff
Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP
Lieff
Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, is one of the largest law firms in
the nation that represents only plaintiffs. We have a team of personal injury
lawyers, assisted by multiple nurses, scientific advisors and medical experts,
dedicated to advancing our clients' interests, including clients who have
been injured due to defective products.
For the last six years, the National Law Journal has
selected our firm as one of the top plaintiffs' law firms in the nation.
To learn about the competitive advantages we offer clients with personal
injuries, please click
here.
We
have represented thousands of persons in personal injury lawsuits across
America, including residents of Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California,
Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia,
Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Note:
Lieff Cabraser attorneys provide legal advice and practice law for clients
in federal courts throughout the United States and in state courts where
we are licensed to practice. In states where we are not licensed to practice,
we have affiliations with local attorneys who serve as co-counsel with our
firm. Please read our disclaimer.
"Carbon Monoxide
Kills One in Virginia Dorm"
July 14, 2006, Associated Press
Carbon
monoxide leaked into a college dormitory early Friday, killing a man and sickening
dozens of teens and adults attending summer programs at Roanoke College, the
school said. A college spokeswoman
said more than 80 people had been taken to two Roanoke Valley
hospitals complaining of headaches, nausea, dizziness and shakiness. She said
an elderly man had died. More...
Lieff
Cabraser has participated in over thirty-five $100
million-plus settlements and verdicts. To read
a summary, click
here.
Read
the latest press articles
on the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and
related personal injury lawsuits.
