Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and Air Conditioners

Most of us don’t spend a lot of time considering how our homes are powered. Often, we mindlessly trust that our appliances are running safely and that we are protected from dangerous gas leaks. In the most tragic cases, however, our trust can be misplaced in faulty appliances, landlords who fail to comply with Texas safety codes, or our own human error.

For instance, in July of this year near McAllen, Texas, a family of four who had lost power during Hurricane Hanna were exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning in their sleep after bringing a generator inside their home. Unfortunately, four members of this family were pronounced dead on the scene and one member was taken to critical care. With a functioning carbon monoxide detector, this tragedy could have been prevented.

With the help of the top McAllen lawyers at Carabin Shaw, carbon monoxide poisoning victims and their families can seek financial compensation for their injuries. Our team of McAllen injury lawyers can help you identify the source of your carbon monoxide leak and hold any negligent parties accountable. If you are seeking a McAllen carbon monoxide poisoning attorney to represent your carbon monoxide poisoning claim, click here to learn more about our team.

Generators are not the only potential danger to Texas homes. While we love our air conditioning, particularly during the interminable Texas summers, air conditioners can be a source of deadly carbon monoxide leaks. While most air conditioning units are electric and do not burn fossil fuels, some older homes may have air conditioning units that run on gas.

In addition, even if your home has an electric air conditioner, you may have a gas-powered heater. It is important to have HVAC technicians regularly inspect your heating and cooling units to make sure your home is protected from carbon monoxide leaks.

Texas law stipulates that family homes install functioning carbon monoxide detectors near bedrooms, but if the detectors are faulty or the batteries are dead, families can be unknowingly exposed to this deadly gas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that families have their “heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.”

The Center also suggests that families “check or replace the battery” of their detector “when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall.” While easy to overlook, these simple steps can prevent unimaginable tragedy.

Victims of carbon monoxide poisoning and their families deserve justice. If your household is exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning due to a faulty carbon monoxide detector, faulty air conditioner or heater, or the negligence of your landlord, contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

If you or a loved one were poisoned by a carbon monoxide leak in McAllen, Texas, contact the McAllen injury lawyers at Carabin Shaw to learn more about your options. Call our office toll-free today at 956-664-7255 to schedule your no-cost, no-obligation case review and consultation with our team of qualified McAllen carbon monoxide poisoning attorneys.

When you work with a Carabin Shaw lawyer, you benefit from our decades of legal experience and dedicated service to Texas communities. With our “client-first” philosophy and undeniable record of success, we believe our team is the best choice to represent your carbon monoxide poisoning claim. Our firm is proud to represent McAllen families and victims of carbon monoxide poisoning statewide.