Compensation for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Victims in El Paso Apartments

If you have been injured by a carbon monoxide leak in an El Paso apartment, you are probably wondering what compensation is available to you. Carbon monoxide poisoning can have long-standing effects on your health and lead to insurmountable medical bills. Additionally, you may have to cover the cost of moving to a safer apartment.

A successful personal injury claim can help you recoup some of these costs—both economic and noneconomic damages. Read on to see how compensation for carbon monoxide poisoning victims in El Paso apartments is determined.

The first step toward receiving compensation for injuries caused by a gas leak is determining the target of your claim. Most carbon monoxide claims are directed toward landlords and property owners. Landlords assume what’s called an “implied warranty of habitability,” meaning that they are responsible for ensuring that their tenants have a safe and liveable residence. A carbon monoxide leak obviously makes a residence less habitable, and allowing one to go unrepaired violates that warranty and the landlord-tenant contract.

However, some gas leak claims target appliance manufacturers rather than landlords. Gas appliances are the most common source of CO leaks, and if a company that manufactures refrigerators or gas ovens fails to properly inspect their products for emissions, their negligence could leave them vulnerable to a lawsuit. An experienced carbon monoxide poisoning attorney in El Paso, Texas can help you determine where your personal injury claim should be directed.

Compensation for personal injury claims usually falls into two categories: economic and non-economic.

• Economic damages address the financial costs resulting from your injuries.
• Noneconomic damages seek to compensate for the other ways in which those injuries made your life more difficult.

A personal injury attorney specializing in carbon monoxide poisoning can help you calculate how much to claim in both economic and noneconomic damages.

Economic damages for carbon monoxide poisoning include hospital bills and the expected future costs of medication and additional medical treatment for the ongoing effects of your injuries. For example, if you suffer heart disease as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning and need a pacemaker, the speculative costs of pacemaker maintenance might be included among your economic damages.

Additionally, you will probably want to move out of your apartment, which can be an expensive process. A knowledgeable El Paso personal injury lawyer might persuasively argue that your landlord is responsible for the cost of moving, and even that they should repay your rent for the months when they were in violation of the implied warranty of habitability.

Noneconomic damages cover pain, suffering and reduced quality of life, including loss of enjoyment. If carbon monoxide poisoning leads to mobility or heart issues that prevent you from engaging in physical activity, for example, the target of your lawsuit might be made to compensate for that loss.

As noneconomic damages are less concrete than economic damages, an experienced carbon monoxide poisoning attorney in El Paso, Texas will be instrumental in helping you calculate and pursue them.

If you’ve decided that you have grounds for a personal injury claim, you will want to hire legal representation. Before doing so, be sure to schedule free consultations. These meetings will allow you to discuss the details of your case with an El Paso personal injury lawyer before moving forward.

Carabin Shaw offers a free consultation / initial case review by phone at 915-779-2301. Call today to begin your process of financial recovery.