Hotel Liability for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in El Paso

Situated along the Rio Grande, the west Texas city of El Paso is home to art galleries, historical sites, vineyards and wineries, world-class rock climbing, and a vibrant music scene. Visitors have their pick of exciting activities and events in El Paso, Texas, so it is no wonder that tourism in the city has gone up consistently since 2014.

While more travelers than ever before are flocking to El Paso, Texas to seek fun and adventure, the people who stay at hotels and motels in the city are at risk. Because Texas law does not mandate hotels and motels install carbon monoxide detectors in guest rooms, people who stay in El Paso hotels and motels risk exposure to dangerous—sometimes deadly—carbon monoxide.

If you or someone you love has been adversely affected by Texas law regarding hotel and motel carbon monoxide detectors, the expert attorneys at Carabin Shaw promise to protect your rights and investigate hotel liability for carbon monoxide poisoning in El Paso.

If you are staying in El Paso, Texas, you should be well informed about the causes, signs, and risks of carbon monoxide—both as a preventative measure and to discover how a lawyer can help you if you experience carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas produced by incomplete carbon combustion in fuel-burning equipment and appliances , such as generators, stoves, grills, pool heaters, furnaces, and fireplaces.

Nobody is immune to carbon monoxide. In less severe cases, carbon monoxide makes people sick. In extreme cases involving prolonged exposure, carbon monoxide causes permanent damage to the brain and nervous system and can result in death. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that about 50,000 people visit hospitals every year for CO poisoning, and at least 430 people die from prolonged exposure.

The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are:

• Nausea
• Headaches
• Muscle weakness
• Chest pain
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Shortness of breath

While these symptoms are flu-like, carbon monoxide will not produce fever. Additionally, people who have consumed alcohol or fallen asleep may die from inhaling too much carbon monoxide before they even exhibit symptoms.

If you or someone you love has experienced these symptoms while staying at a hotel, the lawyers at Carabin Shaw can look into hotel liability for carbon monoxide poisoning in El Paso and seek compensation on your behalf.

The Carabin Shaw carbon monoxide poisoning lawyers in El Paso know that across the United States, carbon monoxide poisoning in hotels occurs too often.

In 2012, Lindell Weaver, a professor of medicine at the University of Utah, wrote a report for USA Today that argued that carbon monoxide is especially dangerous in hotels and motels because it can harm dozens of people at once. Though carbon monoxide poisoning is preventable, things haven’t gotten much better since Weaver’s article; even six years on, some hotel guests are still exposed to deadly levels of carbon monoxide.

One such case occurred in 2017 at a hotel in Niles, Michigan, where a faulty pool heater endangered guests lounging at the hotel pool. Fourteen people, nine of whom were children, went to the hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning. Five of these children were found unconscious, and one of them, Bryan Douglas-Watts, was pronounced dead at the scene. Because the hotel did not have carbon monoxide detectors, children and their families suffered disastrous consequences.

Given that Texas law does not require carbon monoxide detectors, hotels in El Paso, Texas are not unilaterally protecting guests from an incident like the one in Niles. If you experienced anything similar to the tragedy in Niles, the El Paso injury lawyers at Carabin Shaw can help you file a lawsuit and receive redress for your suffering.

The attorneys at Carabin Shaw believe that traveling should be a safe, enjoyable experience. For visitors who have been robbed of that safety, remember that you are not alone. Our legal team is dedicated to examining hotel liability for carbon monoxide poisoning in El Paso.

At Carabin Shaw, we promise to advocate for justice on your behalf. We guarantee that your initial consultation will be free, and we will not charge you unless we win your case.

To speak with an attorney in El Paso, Texas, please call 915.779.2301 or toll-free at 1.800.862.1260.