If you have suffered health issues due to a carbon monoxide leak in your Dallas apartment or rental property, you may be wondering whether or not you have grounds to take legal action. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause serious complications that may impact your ongoing quality of life, as well as leaving you with substantial medical debt.
Hiring an attorney and filing a claim is your best opportunity to address these costs and obtain the justice you deserve. However, you may be wondering whether or not you even have a valid case. Follow this checklist to find out if you have a carbon monoxide poisoning claim in Dallas and decide what to do next.
Establish the LeakAs carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas, it can be difficult to note a leak before it becomes dangerous. Every Dallas residential unit has to be properly outfitted with carbon monoxide alarms, and they are your safest bet to tell whether or not you have a leak. However, alarms can sometimes malfunction or die without your noticing.
Excessive CO can leave yellow and brown stains around gas appliances, so such stains may indicate a leak. You can also note a gas leak by its effects on your health: dizziness and chronic headaches that only seem to occur at home can mean carbon monoxide poisoning.
Contact Property OwnershipAs soon as you become aware of a carbon monoxide leak, leave your apartment and contact ownership with a work order. Ideally, they will have maintenance address the source of the leak and repair your carbon monoxide detector / replace its batteries immediately. If you eventually decide to hire a carbon monoxide attorney in Dallas and pursue a personal injury claim, you will want to show that you tried to address the issue as soon as you became aware of it.
Seek Medical AttentionCarbon monoxide poisoning can have several short- and long-term effects on your health. Mild exposure to CO can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and headaches, and prolonged exposure to high concentrations can lead to brain damage, heart disease, and miscarriage.
Immediately seeking medical attention will reduce your chances of experiencing these symptoms. If you decide to move forward with a lawsuit, medical records will help a Dallas personal injury lawyer argue for damages on your behalf.
Establish NegligenceFor a carbon monoxide claim to be successful, you will have to establish that your landlord violated the expected standard of care for you, the tenant. This includes functioning carbon monoxide detectors and immediate response to dangerous conditions such as a gas leak.
If your landlord knowingly installed cheap and faulty gas appliances, hired maintenance staff without the training and experience necessary to respond to a leak, or allowed your detector to be installed incorrectly, a carbon monoxide attorney in Dallas can help you use that information for a personal injury claim..
Prevent Future LeaksEven if a carbon monoxide leak was not your fault, you want to show that you are a responsible tenant whose actions could not have caused or exacerbated it. Avoid using gas appliances such as space heaters in an unventilated area, and always turn off your oven immediately after use. Never intentionally leave a gas oven on to heat your apartment. Following basic safety around appliances that use carbon monoxide will help your lawyer argue that a leak was unlikely to have been your fault.
Finding an Experienced Lawyer in Dallas, Texas: Free Initial ConsultationA Dallas personal injury lawyer specializing in carbon monoxide claims can help you determine whether or not you have a viable case. In a free consultation and initial case review, an attorney will go over the details with you and offer advice on how likely your claim is to succeed.
A free consultation will help you make an informed hiring decision, and you should never hire a legal representative without scheduling one first. Call Carabin Shaw today at 1-800-862-1260 for a free consultation by phone.