We are personal injury solicitors specialising in claiming compensation for clients injured by carbon monoxide. Catherine Smith has experience with carbon monoxide gas inhalation claims, and introduces our services in this video.

Read more about carbon monoxide poisoning below, or use our free legal advice service opposite to ask us a question or to get started making a claim.

Claiming Compensation For Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon Monoxide gas is known as the 'silent killer' and is responsible for approximately 300 deaths in the UK every year. The main danger of carbon monoxide lies in the fact that you cannot see, smell or taste the gas. It can prove fatal if inhaled for just 20 minutes, and can cause irreversible damage to the body in far less time. Carbon monoxide is produced during the burning of fuels and materials, including gas, oil, coal and wood. When burned they naturally release carbon dioxide which gradually replaces oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere. Excessive carbon dioxide will prevent the fuels from burning completely, causing them to release potentially fatal carbon monoxide gas. This process will occur more quickly in enclosed environments with limited oxygen such as boilers and car engines. Appliances which are powered by fuels with the potential to release carbon monoxide gas are present in most UK households and places of work. A high percentage of homes and business premises are heated by gas, while many industrial processes are powered by the burning of fossil fuels. While the dangers of carbon monoxide are well known, hundreds of people continue to die and thousands more are injured each year by exposure to the gas.

How Is Carbon Monoxide Produced?

Appliances and installations that may produce and emit carbon monoxide are found in both domestic and work environments. These include gas-powered appliances such as boilers, ovens and radiators, as well as open fires and cooling systems which are commonly used during industrial production. If an appliance is in a state of disrepair, or has been serviced incorrectly, it may begin to produce and leak carbon monoxide. There is a greater risk of poisoning from the gas in environments where the air does not circulate efficiently due to a lack of adequate ventilation. A blocked chimney at a factory may similarly cause carbon monoxide to build up inside the flue and potentially leak out into the atmosphere below. Vehicle engines produce carbon monoxide, especially heavy work vehicles such as forklift trucks. Almost every working environment faces risks from carbon monoxide emissions, though there is a far higher incidence of poisonings among those engaged in industrial production and chemical handling.

The Effects Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are initially difficult to detect. A person will experience a mild headache, which will worsen quickly, leading to secondary symptoms including nausea and dizziness. Severe poisoning may then cause convulsions, unconsciousness, and ultimately death. Even those who recover physically from serious carbon monoxide poisoning may have sustained permanent damage with long-term symptoms including loss of memory, concentration and coordination. In cases such as these carbon monoxide will have actually damaged the brain, and may result in an individual's entire personality changing. Other internal organs may also be affected, most notably the heart, liver and lungs. It is an unfortunate but unavoidable fact that carbon monoxide poses a particular threat to those who are physically weaker than the average, especially older people and young children. Doctors test for carbon monoxide poisoning using a simple blood test, and this ease of diagnosis undoubtedly helps to reduce the number of casualties caused by the gas each year.

Find Out More About: Claiming Compensation For Toxic Fumes & Smoke Injuries

Claiming Compensation For Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Employers owe a duty of care to their workers, and must provide both a safe working premises and a safe system as work. They must take all reasonable measures to eliminate potential hazards such as carbon monoxide gas, whether by installing an effective ventilation system, or by examining working practices to reduce the threat of gas leaks. Many of these responsibilities are covered by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 1992. Where contact with harmful fumes is unavoidable, workers must be provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, overalls and gloves. Employers must ensure that all appliances, equipment, machinery and vehicles are in good working order, and are regularly inspected for faults. Where a defect does exist it must be dealt with immediately by employers to limit and cap any escaping fumes. Carbon Monoxide poisoning may be the responsibility of the employer, the manufacturer of an appliance, or those who have serviced it. In whichever case compensation may be attainable where a person has been poisoned by carbon monoxide through no fault of their own.

Bartletts Solicitors are specialists in the field of carbon monoxide poisoning compensation claims. We work on a no win no fee basis meaning if you win your case you keep 100% of damages awarded, and if you lose you do not pay a penny.