Commercial Building Negligence: When Improper Ventilation Leads to Poisoning in El Paso TX

The occupants of hotels and other commercial buildings in El Paso, Texas, are at the mercy of building managers and owners when it comes to their safety. Specifically, they have no control over the ventilation systems in or near their rooms, where carbon monoxide can build up and poison guests. A skilled local attorney can help victims of CO poisoning hold building owners accountable for CO leaks and secure the compensation they deserve for their injuries or the loss of a loved one.

The El Paso attorneys at Carabin Shaw can provide a free case review to inform you of your legal options after a CO poisoning. We offer our services on a contingency-fee basis, so you can seek compensation without a financial obligation until we win your case. Call our toll-free number at 1-800-862-1260 to speak to a member of our English- and Spanish-speaking team, available 24/7 to answer your call.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas that can kill a person within minutes, while they may only experience a little dizziness and fatigue prior to losing consciousness. It kills hundreds of people in the U.S. every year, yet the state still does not always require CO alarms in El Paso, Texas hotel rooms.

Poisonous gas accumulates when gas-powered appliances such as generators and water heaters don’t properly vent exhaust containing CO, the byproduct of natural gas combustion. This can happen when a property owner improperly installs, maintains, or ventilates a gas-powered appliance. The results are especially catastrophic in large hotels and commercial buildings, where many people suffer exposure to this deadly gas at once. An El Paso carbon monoxide lawyer may have a case involving multiple victims in a single building.

Not all carbon monoxide poisonings result in death. If a person removes themselves or someone removes them from the location of the leak, they may only suffer short-term damage. Injuries from CO poisoning for which a lawyer can help you claim damages include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Unconsciousness
• Death

Some CO poisonings also result in long-term damage, namely neurological issues. That is why it is important that your lawyer has all your medical records, so you can get compensation for current and future medical expenses, along with pain and suffering.

A carbon monoxide poisoning attorney in Texas will try to prove that a property owner was negligent in their handling of gas-powered appliances in the building. This means that the building owner had a duty to act in a certain way, and the gas leak and your injuries resulted from a breach of that duty. Property owners are liable for injuries caused by their own negligence.

Examples of events your attorney may conclude are property owner negligence are failing to hire professionals to install appliances or failing to perform regular maintenance that would have prevented the exposure. In some cases, an appliance does not vent to the outside, and CO gas can escape into the structure. These cases can all present causation for your attorney to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Property owners have a duty to maintain a safe, CO-free environment for occupants. Yet, each year, people die from accidental exposure to CO gas. Many of these circumstances are preventable, and unfortunately, some of them are deadly. Hiring a premises liability lawyer in El Paso TX, to get full compensation for wrongful death injuries or CO poisoning injuries helps victims seek justice and hold property owners accountable for their complacency surrounding gas appliances.

Read our law firm’s client reviews to find out more about our professional legal services and successful case results. At Carabin Shaw, our goal is to get you as much compensation after a CO poisoning as possible, so you don’t suffer financially while you recover from your losses.

For more information:

• Texas Department of Insurance
• Texas Constitution and Statutes 41
• Negligence | Legal Information Institute