Austin, Texas Airbnb CO Liability: Who Pays When a Host Cuts Corners?

When you stay in an AirBnB, you should feel as safe as you do in your own home. Unfortunately, in Austin, Texas, unscrupulous Airbnb owners might cut corners on upkeep, leading to poorly maintained appliances, generators, or heaters that create dangerous indoor air conditions. When this happens, carbon monoxide can accumulate quickly, and guests may not smell or see the danger before symptoms begin. Working with an attorney in the immediate aftermath of an exposure event is an essential first step to protecting your right to a safe place to stay.

The skilled team of lawyers at Carabin Shaw has decades of experience representing victims of negligence and their families. If you or a loved one was recently exposed to carbon monoxide in central Texas due to the negligence of another, contact Carabin Shaw to discuss your legal options. We offer a free case review, and you owe us nothing unless we win your case.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), victims of carbon monoxide exposure may experience:

• Headaches and dizziness
• Nausea and confusion
• Chest pain and shortness of breath
• Loss of consciousness

Because these symptoms escalate quickly, obtaining medical documentation immediately after your exposure event is critical to building a successful case.

After being exposed to carbon monoxide in an Airbnb, many victims wonder why no regulatory agency acted to prevent their exposure, making it necessary for them to retain a lawyer. Unlike hotels, short-term vacation rentals are maintained by individual hosts, and have their own unique, non-standardized inspection routines.

While most owners are scrupulous, a negligent approach to safety, with safety devices missing, disabled, or with dead batteries, can cause carbon monoxide poisoning at a vacation rental. Without a functioning carbon monoxide alarm, hosts may unintentionally create hazards through:

• Gas water heaters in enclosed closets
• Fireplaces or furnaces with blocked vents
• Portable generators used during power outages
• Gas stoves used for heat
• Attached garages with idling vehicles inside

A qualified Austin Airbnb carbon monoxide lawyer can use factors like these to build a case that safety was neglected and warning signs were ignored.

According to Texas law, property owners have a duty of care to maintain a safe environment for residents and guests. Your lawyer can apply this law to both landlords and hosts of short-term rentals, both of whom must maintain reasonably safe premises for tenants and guests alike.

Failure to install carbon monoxide detectors, inspect fuel-burning appliances, or warn guests of any known hazards can all constitute negligence. These factors are critical for your legal team to consider when suing an Airbnb host for CO poisoning.

Generally, Texas landlords are responsible for maintaining safe conditions within the buildings they own, as outlined above. However, in some situations, liability may extend beyond the individual host, causing your attorney to name Airbnb itself as a defendant in your case. This will depend on factors including:

• Whether Airbnb requires safety certifications
• If prior guest complaints were ignored
• If the property was explicitly marketed as safe or family-friendly on the platform
• Whether safety disclosures were incomplete or missing

It’s critical that you work with legal representatives with proven experience handling Airbnb cases to make sure these questions are addressed.

The Austin attorneys at Carabin Shaw have proven experience helping Airbnb guests protect their right to a safe stay after carbon monoxide exposure. Read our client reviews to see how we’ve helped people as you fight back. Our compassionate English- and Spanish-speaking staff is here to support you every step of the way.

We offer a free case review to help you understand your legal rights, and we work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you don’t pay unless we win.

If you or a loved one has been harmed due to an Airbnb owner’s negligence, contact us 24/7 at 1-800-862-1260. Our phone lines are always monitored, and someone is always available to help.

For more information:

• https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/docs/PR/htm/PR.92.htm
• https://www.cdc.gov/carbon-monoxide/about/index.html