Austin Personal Injury Attorney Talks About Gas Furnace Injuries
Posted on Thu, Jan 13, 2011 @ 10:49 AM
Every winter, many find themselves the victims of carbon monoxide poisoning due to improperly functioning furnaces. Here at Bemis, Roach & Reed, we have represented many Austin, Texas accident victims in personal injury claims arising out of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The combustion process of a gas, oil or wood-fired furnace creates carbon monoxide. If the furnace is not properly maintained and vented, the carbon monoxide will enter the living area. Many people believe that if their furnace is not venting properly, they will smell gas or smoke. This is not correct and this false belief can cost them their life.
Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-irritating, it is very difficult for people to detect. The other problem with exposure to carbon monoxide is that the initial symptoms, including headaches and vertigo, are often mistakenly associated with cold and flu symptoms. In the personal injury cases we have handled, our clients were often asleep at the time. Fortunately, in one of our cases, one of the family members awoke because of a severe headache and discovered their spouse unconscious as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. They were able to call 911, obtain assistance and evacuate the home. Without this prompt action, this could have easily turned into a catastrophic brain injury or wrongful death case.
To prevent this from occurring, it is important to have a professional regularly inspect your furnace. While obtaining a carbon monoxide sensor is also a good preventative measure, it should not be relied upon to the exclusion of a regular furnace inspection.