Carbon Monoxide Exposure

Daylight Saving Time begins on March 11 and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding consumers in California and across the country that this is the perfect time to change the batteries for all alarms. By regularly changing batteries in alarms and detectors, consumers can protect themselves from fires and carbon monoxide poisoning in the home.

Putting new batteries in the alarms at home when Daylight Saving Time begins and again when Standard Time begins helps ensure that the batteries in detectors don’t wear out and reminds consumers of when they should change the battery. A dead or even weakened battery in an alarm can prevent the device from warning residents that a fire or carbon monoxide leak has occurred, putting everyone at risk.

According to the CPSC, there was an average of 183 deaths each year from 2006 to 2008 due to carbon monoxide poisoning accidents caused by consumer products. Additionally, there was a per year average of 386,300 residential fires and 2,400 deaths that resulted from such incidents in that same time span.

Changing batteries regularly and testing alarms to make sure they work is a vital step in ensuring your family’s safety at home; however, when these products fail unexpectedly due to defects, the results can be devastating. If you or a loved one has suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning due to another’s negligence, the Santa Cruz carbon monoxide poisoning lawyers at Van Der Walde & Associates have the skills and experience to successfully represent you in court and win rightful compensation for your losses. For more information, call us today at (877) 862-6288.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is incredibly difficult for a person to notice without the aid of a detector. CO is also incredibly deadly when a person is exposed to a high concentration and it is produced by many gas-powered machines and tools, making it especially important for people of all ages to be aware of the dangers and prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

While there are many steps that a person can take to prevent CO poisoning, such as installing detectors throughout a house, now mandatory under the California Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act, and making sure gas-powered machines are used outside or in a well-ventilated area, many accidents still occur without warning. As such, it is important to recognize the symptoms of CO poisoning as a safeguard against all possible incidents and to prevent serious illness.

When a person is exposed to carbon monoxide, he or she will often experience symptoms including:

• Headache;
• Dizziness;
• Drowsiness;
• Depression;
• Nausea;
• Weakness;
• Shortness of breath;
• Vomiting;
• Chest and/or abdominal pain;
• Hallucinations;
• Seizure; and
• Loss of consciousness.

Often, these symptoms are mistaken for an illness such as the flu, making the use of a CO detector an incredibly important safety step. If someone, or a group of people, is experiencing these symptoms, the first thing you should do is have everybody leave the area or building and go outside for fresh air. Then call 9-1-1 for emergency treatment and dealing with the hazard.

If you or a loved one has suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning due to another party’s negligence or oversight, a Santa Cruz CO poisoning lawyer with Van Der Walde & Associates can find proper compensation for your losses from the at-fault party. For more information on how we can aid you, call us today at (877) 862-6288.

California’s Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act has made it mandatory for California homes with a fossil fuel source, attached garage, or both to have a carbon monoxide (CO) detector installed. The state law went into effect on July 1 of this year, and now makes it mandatory for homes across the state to have a working CO detector, according to CBS Los Angeles.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that only takes a few minutes of exposure to become deadly to those affected by it. CO detectors are able to detect and warn of the presence of the gas much like smoke detectors in homes. Those who fail to install a CO alarm can be penalized with a $200 fine, and owners of leased or rented homes and apartments containing multiple families have until January 1 to install the detectors on their property.

While CO is impossible to sense normally, carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms usually include nausea, dizziness, and headaches. In order to prevent carbon monoxide exposure in your home or apartment, follow these tips:

• Have all CO producing appliances and features inspected, such as fireplaces and heaters.
• Test all detectors monthly, regularly replace batteries, and buy a new detector after seven years.
• Never use a grill inside or near a window of your home.
• Do not block vents, windows, or an appliance’s exhaust ducts.
• Never leaving your car running in an attached garage.

By following these tips, families can prevent many CO poisoning accidents year-round, but this cannot always prevent accidents from occurring due to a defective product or another’s negligence. If you or a loved one has suffered from such an accident, the San Jose carbon monoxide poisoning lawyers at Van Der Walde & Associates can help you find the compensation you need to recover from your injuries. Contact us today for a consultation on your case at (877) 862-6288.

With winter approaching, more and more houses will be using heaters and keeping doors and windows closed in order to stay warm in Northern California. But with the need for heat comes an increased danger of carbon monoxide poisoning. In order to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning for yourself or your family, follow these safety tips from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

• Have a professional inspector check all appliances that burn fuel, such as water heaters, ovens, space heaters, and furnaces, at the beginning of every heating season.
• Never sleep in a room with an unvented gas or kerosene space heater.
• Do not idle your car in the garage; fumes can quickly build up in the garage and your home even if the garage door is open.
• Read all instructions for fuel-burning devices and follow all of the outlined steps when using them.
• Never use gas ovens to heat your home.
• Never use any appliance with a gas-powered engine in an enclosed space.
• Always use the proper amount of fuel for gas-burning appliances, leave doors open to the rest of the house, and crack windows open to allow for ventilation.

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms include dizziness, confusion, nausea, faintness, and headaches. If you or someone nearby is experiencing these symptoms, open doors and windows and turn off devices. Then, have everyone leave the area and go outside for fresh air. Next, go to an emergency room and tell the doctor that you believe you may have- carbon monoxide poisoning. Tests can be taken to see if that is the case in order to prevent a possibly deadly case of poisoning.

If you or a loved one has suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning due to defective equipment or the negligence of another, contact the Northern California carbon monoxide poisoning attorneys with Van Der Walde & Associates. Call our law offices today at (877) 862-6288 for a consultation on your case.

Homeowners in California have until July 1 to install carbon monoxide detectors in their homes in order to comply with a new state law, according to an article in The Santa Cruz Sentinel. All homes with attached garages, fireplaces, or any gas appliances will need to be equipped with carbon monoxide detectors. Additionally, the California Building Code has enacted a similar requirement, which states that all new homes built after January 1 must have the detectors installed.

California homeowners can purchase carbon monoxide detectors at their local hardware retail store and should follow the instructions closely when installing the devices.

Carbon monoxide poisoning in California can be difficult to diagnose since symptoms often mimic those of other illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include dizziness, nausea, confusion, headache, chest pain, weakness, and vomiting. Because carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, it can be hard to identify without an electronic detector. Should an individual be asleep or intoxicated in an area where carbon monoxide is present, they could die before ever experiencing symptoms.

The experienced Santa Cruz carbon monoxide poisoning attorneys at Van Der Walde & Associates can help you understand your legal rights if you have suffered due to carbon monoxide poisoning. We have the necessary resources to hold negligent parties accountable for their actions and earn you the fair and just compensation you deserve. To learn more about the personal injury law firm of Van Der Walde & Associates, call 877-862-6288 for a free and confidential consultation.

Recently, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a press release urging consumers to be careful this winter in regards to carbon monoxide exposure.

According to the press release, carbon monoxide (CO) is a serious threat during winter months. Any appliances in the home that are fuel-burning, including fireplaces and furnaces, are potential sources of CO. Carbon monoxide is particularly dangerous since it is a colorless and odorless poisonous gas, and often people do not realize they have been exposed to CO until it is too late.

Since 1999, there has been a rising trend in unintentional carbon monoxide fatalities related to consumer products. On average, the CPSC reports that there have been an estimated 184 CO poisoning-related fatalities every year from 2005 to 2007, compared to an average of 122 fatalities every year from 1999 to 2001. The majority of CO-related fatalities have been linked to portable generators and heating systems.

To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, the CPSC recommends that consumers:

• Every year, schedule a professional inspection of all fuel-burning home heating systems, including fireplaces, chimneys and their flues and vents, water heaters, furnaces, wood stoves, and boilers.
• When you are buying a space heater, find out whether the heater is safety-certified. A certified heater will have an identifying safety certification mark, and will have the most current safety features. For example, an unvented gas space heater will turn off if oxygen levels become too low.
• You should be sure to keep portable gasoline-powered generators as far away from your home as possible, so that deadly CO does not come into your home via windows or vents.
• You should never run a portable gasoline-powered generator in a space that is enclosed, like a shed, garage, or in your home.
• You should never use a portable propane space heater in a restricted area or indoors, unless it was specifically designed for indoor use. You should always follow the directions from the manufacturer for proper use.
• You should never use an electric or gas stove to heat your home, as they were not created for that purpose and poses a serious CO hazard.

Anyone who believes they have been exposed to CO should immediately seek medical attention, and then consult with an experienced Pleasanton carbon monoxide exposure attorney, who can advise them on their legal rights and options. If it is determined a defective product was the cause of you suffering carbon monoxide poisoning or another calamity, the manufacturer could be held liable. Contact the lawyers at Van Der Walde & Associates to learn more. Call 877-862-6288 today.