Carbon Monoxide Injuries

Property owners are responsible for keeping their premises safe for people who work at, live at, or visit them. This means making sure that there are no hazardous conditions, including exposure to carbon monoxide. When a property owner negligently contributes to a victim’s carbon monoxide injury, that owner should be held accountable for the harm caused. The Miami carbon monoxide poisoning lawyers at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon advocate on behalf of victims and their families who have been injured by carbon monoxide due to a property owner’s failure to provide a safe environment. Our attorneys represent clients in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties, as well as across South Florida, in all types of personal injury and wrongful death claims. If you have been injured by carbon monoxide exposure or lost a loved one due to carbon monoxide poisoning, contact our office today to set up a free consultation to learn about your legal rights and options.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless, and colorless gas that is emitted when fuel like wood, charcoal, oil, coal, or natural gas is burned. Engines and open flames produce carbon monoxide, which, when breathed in, can be highly poisonous. In fact, carbon monoxide is known to be one of the leading causes of accidental poisonings nationwide. When a victim has been overexposed to carbon monoxide, they may experience symptoms like fatigue, weakness, confusion, headaches, breathing difficulty, loss of consciousness, and chest pain. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause brain damage and sometimes lead to death. If a property is not equipped with proper carbon monoxide detection and alert devices, victims may not know that they are being exposed until an injury has resulted. When carbon monoxide injuries are due to another party’s negligence in the Miami area, a carbon monoxide poisoning attorney can hold the responsible parties liable.

Every property owner, including landlords, businesses, and homeowners, has a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Owners must comply with state and federal building codes, as well as install and maintain carbon monoxide detectors in order to protect residents or others from exposure. When a victim is injured by carbon monoxide poisoning due to the lack of a proper detection device, or the failure of a device to work properly, they can pursue a premises liability claim against a property owner, occupier, or manufacturer, depending on the circumstances. All owners and occupiers of a property are legally required to keep visitors safe from any unreasonable risk of harm. This requirement includes maintaining safe conditions and also fixing any defects within a reasonable time period. Thus, for example, if a hotel does not monitor the status of its carbon monoxide detectors and take measures to change batteries, or otherwise prevent a leak, leading to a guest’s injury or death, the hotel can be held accountable. Once the parties responsible are identified and found negligent, victims may recover compensation for their past and future medical expenses, loss of income, diminished earning capacity, and pain and suffering. If carbon monoxide poisoning leads to a fatality, certain relatives may file a wrongful death claim to receive damages for burial costs, as well as loss of consortium.

Without proper devices or other safeguards, there is no way to protect yourself against carbon monoxide injuries. Property owners who fail to take precautions to prevent a leak, or to notify others in the event of a leak, should be held accountable. The injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon are dedicated to providing experienced and knowledgeable legal advocacy to victims and their families in Miami, and West Palm Beach following overexposure to carbon monoxide. If you have questions about your legal options in the aftermath of a serious injury sustained on someone else’s property, call 877.499.4878 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation with a carbon monoxide poisoning lawyer in the Miami area.