According to the NHS over 200 people end up in hospital with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, which can potentially lead to death, or permanent brain damage in some cases.

We help a number of our clients deal with claims against landlords if they have failed to maintain gas appliances or provide gas safety records; employers, where adequate ventilation has not been provided; and companies whose faulty products, such as boilers, have caused carbon monoxide to leak out into the home.

Where you have suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning as a direct result of the negligence of another person, you are in a position to make a carbon monoxide poisoning claim.

As mentioned above, carbon monoxide is a by-product of burning carbon-based fuels without a sufficient air supply – namely gas, oil, wood and coal. In enclosed spaces the levels of carbon monoxide can build up very quickly and cause poisoning if breathed in over a long enough period of time.

Once inside your bloodstream, carbon monoxide mixes with haemoglobin – the part of red blood cells that carry oxygen around your body – and there it forms carboxyhaemoglobin. When this happens, the blood is no longer able to carry oxygen, and this lack of oxygen causes the body’s cells and tissue to die.

As a safety measure it is important that your gas appliances are serviced regularly by a registered professional as household appliances – such as cookers, heaters and central heating boilers – are the most common sources of carbon monoxide. Blocked flues and chimneys can also prevent carbon monoxide from escaping so it is essential that those are cleared too.

If you have been exposed to carbon monoxide you will usually be treated with oxygen therapy, and while most people can recover from poisoning, if it is identified early enough, others will develop long-term complications, such as damage to the heart or brain.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can mimic other common illnesses, so your symptoms can easily be misdiagnosed as food poisoning, viral infections, flu or general fatigue. A high level of exposure to carbon monoxide can force you to lose consciousness, have seizures, or become delirious.

As soon as you experience any of the symptoms below or suspect that carbon monoxide is escaping into your home or workplace, it is advisable to tell someone straight away and turn off all gas appliances until a qualified engineer arrives to check them.

Other symptoms can include;

• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness and headaches
• Confusion
• Fatigue
• Stomach or chest pains
• Breathing difficulty
• Changes in behaviour or mental state
• Vision problems

Where you have fallen ill as a result of negligence on somebody else’s behalf, you may be eligible to make a carbon monoxide poisoning claim.

With claims of this kind there is a three year limitation period so we urge you to contact us as soon as possible after you think your health, or that of a loved one, has been compromised.