Tag: West Virginia carbon monoxide lawyer

Carbon Monoxide Leak Kills Hotel Guest in South Charleston, WV; Injures at Least a Dozen More

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Community Safety, Uncategorized2 Comments

A Rhode Island man died in his sleep on Tuesday, January 31, 2012, when his hotel room at the Holiday Inn and Suites in South Charleston, WV filled with carbon monoxide.  Another man is still in critical condition, and at least a dozen more guests are being treated for carbon monoxide poisoning.

A  swimming pool heater at the hotel was the source of the deadly carbon monoxide leak.  The heater pump was fed by a pipe that went all the way through the building – that is why one should choose the professional equippment only (learn specific details at Poolheaterworld.com).  The hotel had no carbon monoxide detectors.

Often called “the silent killer,” Carbon monoxide is an invisible and odorless gas that is produced when burning any fuel, such as gasoline, propane, natural gas, oil, wood, and charcoal.  Carbon monoxide causes illness by decreasing the amount of oxygen present in a person’s body.

CO poisoning can often be mistaken for other illnesses, such as the flu.  The most common symptoms include headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and confusion.  In severe cases, the person may lose consciousness or die.  Often, other people in the place of business or household will exhibit similar symptoms.

In addition to death, carbon monoxide can cause severe learning disability, memory loss, and personality changes.

Hotel owners and landlords have the highest degree of responsibility to ensure that their facilities are safe for guests and tenants.  Inspections and proper maintenance of equipment and heating units and the installation and maintenance of detectors are common-sense preventative measures one would expect any building owner to have in place.

If you or a loved one has experienced the devastating effects of carbon monoxide poisoning due to someone else’s negligence, please contact us at the Robinette Legal Group, PLLC for help at http://www.robinettelaw.com or (304)594-1800.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning – Are your children safe?

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Child SafetyLeave a comment

Approximately 24 children under the age of 14 die from carbon monoxide poisoning each year, with an additional 3,500 emergency room reported injuries, according to the National SAFE KIDS campaign (www.safekids.org).

Young children are especially vulnerable to the effects of carbon monoxide (CO) and may show symptoms sooner than a healthy adult. Because of their smaller bodies, children process CO differently than adults and may be more severely affected by it.  In addition to death, carbon monoxide can cause severe learning disability, memory loss, and personality changes.

Carbon Monoxide, the Silent Killer

Often called “the silent killer,” Carbon monoxide is an invisible and odorless gas that is produced when burning any fuel, such as gasoline, propane, natural gas, oil, wood, and charcoal.  Carbon monoxide causes illness by decreasing the amount of oxygen present in a person’s body.

CO poisoning can often be mistaken for other illnesses, such as the flu.  The most common symptoms include headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and confusion.  In severe cases, the person may lose consciousness or die.  Often, other people in the place of business or household will exhibit similar symptoms.

To decrease the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning in your home, install CO detectors outside every bedroom.  Install the detectors at least 15 feet from a source of CO to eliminate nuisance alarms.  Hardwire detectors if possible, and check every six months.  Do not heat your home or camper with your stove top or use a camp stove, grill,  or generator inside your home or camper.  Do not leave a car or motorcycle running in your garage even if the garage door is open.  Install a CO detector in your boat cabin; CO can accumulate anywhere in or around a boat.  Have your fireplace, stove, and furnace checked regularly by a professional.

Sometimes carbon monoxide poisoning is caused in part by the negligence of a landlord, repair technician, or faulty piece of equipment.  Landlords and professional service technicians are held to the highest standards of accountability for the safety of those they serve.

West Virginia landlords are required to maintain a leased property in a condition that meets requirements of applicable health, fire, and safety housing codes. West Virginia mandates in W.Va. Code Section 29-3-16a that any residence built after 1998 be equipped with carbon monoxide detectors.  The federal government, through the International Residence Code (ICR) 315.2, further mandates carbon monoxide detectors must be installed in any one or two family home that either has a fuel-fired appliance or heating unit , or is attached to a building containing such appliance, if any work is planned for that home that requires a building permit.

If CO poisoning is detected, vacate the area immediately and seek emergency help.  Avoid re-entry until the fire department deems it safe.

For information about carbon monoxide poisoning and premises liability, go to http://www.robinettelaw.com/Catastrophic-Injuries-and-Wrongful-Death/