Carbon Monoxide Poison: UK solicitor sets out how to claim compensation if you are suffering symptoms of CO poisoning in rented accommodation or at work with examples of compensation amounts
Find out what carbon monoxide poison is, the likely places where CO poisoning can occur, how to claim compensation form a landlord or workplace, an example of the amount of compensation you can claim, how to obtain free legal help with making a claim.
What is carbon monoxide poison?
“Carbon monoxide” is also known from the chemical symbols for carbon and oxygen or CO.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Claim
Carbon monoxide if inhaled into the lungs in high concentrations is very dangerous poison and if the immediate signs or symptoms are not noticed it can cause death.
Carbon monoxide poison occurs when CO combines with the haemoglobin in the red blood cells and removes oxygen from the blood – acting as though your organs and body tissues are being suffocated from lack of oxygen as though you are drowning on dry land.
Carbon monoxide poison is sometimes known as a silent killer. As CO gas cannot be smelt or seen (it is colourless and odourless) – if the poisoning occurs when you are asleep it is unlikely that your body will notice and quite often you will never wake up.
What types appliances can cause carbon monoxide poisoning?
There are three main situations which carbon monoxide can be encountered, which include:
1. Rented accommodation with gas appliances
Private landlords and housing associations are all required to regularly inspect and maintain gas appliances, which might be a boiler, central heating system, gas fires, gas cookers or any other form of gas appliance.
A landlord should always have all gas appliances inspected annually and issued with a gas safety certificate. A copy of this should be supplied to you as the tenant at the commencement of your tenancy and each time the certificate is renewed.
Landlords and housing authorities must ensure all gas appliances are properly inspected by a CORGI approved engineer and carbon monoxide levels are tested.
Landlords should also provide smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to alert tenants should carbon monoxide escape.
2. Carbon monoxide in the work place
There are many types of equipment in the work place that can produce carbon monoxide. Again these must be regularly inspected and maintained to ensure no workers are exposed to carbon monoxide.
A workplace should also have carbon monoxide detectors to ensure that should any equipment malfunction the problem can be immediately detected and workers notified by an alarm system to prevent carbon monoxide poison entering commencing
3. Carbon monoxide in garages.
It is well known that car exhaust produce carbon monoxide and exposure to high concentrations of CO gas, such as in enclosed working environments can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
What are the symptoms, signs and side effects of carbon monoxide poisoning?
There are many different signs, symptoms and side effects of CO poisoning, some of which include:
1. Dizziness and headaches.
2. Sickness and abdominal pains.
3. Tiredness.
4. Heart palpitations.
5. Shortness of breath and a feeling of confusion.
6. In the worst cases of carbon monoxide poison were sever oxygen deprivation occurs – long term effects could be: brain damage, heart conditions and psychological injuries such as depression.
If you have carbon monoxide poisoning can you claim compensation?
So long as your solicitor can show that exposure to the carbon monoxide poison was the legal fault or responsibility of someone, such as a landlord or employer, it is very likely you will succeed in claiming compensation for your injuries.
Thus – if your exposure to carbon monoxide poison occurred in rented accommodation or in the workplace you should be entitled to claim compensation from the landlord or your employer who owe you a duty to keep you safe whilst on the premises.
If the carbon monoxide poisoning occurs in your own home as a result of a faulty gas appliance – you may well be entitled to claim compensation from the manufacturer or supplier of the appliance.
If however carbon monoxide poisoning occurs in your own home as a result of your own failure to maintain equipment – it is unlikely you will be successful in a claim for compensation.
How much compensation can you claim for carbon monoxide poisoning?
The amount of compensation you can claim for carbon monoxide poisoning can vary significantly depending on the symptoms experienced and the potential implications into the future of normal lung function, examples for payments in 2019, include:
1. Short term symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning average claim payouts
If you suffer short term symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning with no residual damage to your lungs or any long term effects the amount of compensation you can claim is: Up to £4,600
2. More serious CO poisoning settlement calculations
If as a result of CO poisoning you suffer damage to your lungs with some permanent interference with your lung functions you can expect an average payout compensation settlement of between: £4,600 – £11,000
Who should you use to claim compensation for carbon monoxide poison?
Your choice of solicitor is essential in being able to make a successful carbon monoxide poisoning compensation claim.
It is very difficult for an accident victim to know which solicitor has the correct expertise – so I recommend you click carbon monoxide poisoning solicitor to speak with me direct or ask an online question about making a carbon monoxide poison claim.
