Fort Worth Carbon Monoxide Exposure Lawsuits: What Injured Victims in Texas Need to Know

Surviving a carbon monoxide (CO) exposure doesn’t mean you won’t pay a price from a financial and health standpoint. Injured victims may suffer organ damage, lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering. What many victims in Fort Worth, TX, don’t know is that they can hire a lawyer and file a lawsuit against landlords, appliance manufacturers, and other responsible parties to seek compensation for these losses.

The trusted Texas attorneys at Carabin Shaw can help you make informed legal decisions that protect your right to compensation after CO poisoning. Read our law firm’s client reviews to find out more about our clients who received full and fair compensation after a personal injury.

If you have a gas-powered appliance in Fort Worth, Texas, you face some risk of CO exhaust, which is typically vented outside the structure into the open air. Improper installation, poor maintenance, manufacturing errors, and mishandling of a gas-powered appliance can cause a catastrophic leak inside a structure, potentially injuring anyone in the enclosed area.

Your Fort Worth CO accident attorney will be familiar with the properties of CO gas, which is colorless and odorless. Occupants and visitors may not notice any signs of a leak until they experience the symptoms of CO poisoning. While homeowners with gas appliances may be aware of the risk, visitors to a property or customers at a commercial property may not realize the risk. Improperly using gas grills, stoves or lanterns indoors can also cause CO poisoning.

A carbon monoxide exposure lawsuit will include a victim’s short- and long-term damages. Once the immediate effects of the CO poisoning pass, victims may still experience:

• Neurological effects such as memory loss, coordination issues, poor concentration, and personality changes
• Organ damage to the heart and lungs
• Post-traumatic stress and depression associated with the CO poisoning event

A CO poisoning attorney in Fort Worth will collect invoices and receipts for all monetary losses. Then, he or she will use the approach that best fits your case to quantify noneconomic damages such as emotional anguish and pain and suffering.

The biggest challenge for a Fort Worth carbon monoxide lawyer is identifying the party responsible for damages. The person or company responsible for the leak may have committed the act months or years prior to your CO poisoning event.

If your lawyer determines that an HVAC installer or gas-appliance manufacturer is responsible for your injuries, it is important to note that you have 2 years after the date of your injury to file an injury claim. There are exceptions to this statute of limitations, so talking to an experienced attorney is the best way to ensure you are protecting your right to compensation if a longer duration of time has passed.

When you sit down with a Texas lawyer to discuss your case, it is important that you review every aspect of your injuries, from the big to the small. No injury is insignificant, and when someone else is responsible for your CO exposure, you deserve full compensation for your losses. Your attorney will collect evidence to prove those losses, and keeping a journal of the day-to-day impact of your injuries may help your case.

Hiring a legal team is easier than you may think. At Carabin Shaw, your first visit is a free consultation, and we offer our services on a contingency-fee basis. That means you don’t pay us until we win your case. Call our toll-free number at 1-800-862-1260 and speak to a member of our English- and Spanish-speaking team, available 24/7 to take your call. Contact our top Texas law firm today to learn more.

For more information:

• https://www.tdi.texas.gov/tips/how-to-avoid-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-at-home.html
• https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/carbon-monoxide-poisoning
• https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/?tab=1&code=CP&chapter=CP.16&artSec=