Tennessee Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Lawyer
Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the leading causes of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States, claiming more than 400 lives each year and sending over 100,000 people to emergency rooms. In Tennessee, carbon monoxide exposure events happen more often than most people realize, occurring in homes, apartment buildings, hotels, vacation rental cabins, workplaces, and university facilities. When property owners, landlords, manufacturers, or employers fail to take reasonable precautions to prevent carbon monoxide buildup, the consequences can be catastrophic.
At Fox, Farley, Willis & Burnette, our Tennessee carbon monoxide poisoning lawyers have direct experience representing victims of toxic exposure in East Tennessee. Our firm has handled significant carbon monoxide poisoning cases, including one involving a vacation rental cabin, reaching a favorable settlement for the victims. We understand the complex medical, scientific, and legal issues that make these cases uniquely challenging, and we have the resources to investigate what went wrong, identify every responsible party, and pursue the full compensation our clients deserve.
What Is Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
Carbon monoxide, commonly referred to as CO, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas produced whenever fuel is burned. Common sources include furnaces, water heaters, gas stoves, fireplaces, generators, space heaters, vehicle engines, and boilers. Under normal conditions, these appliances vent carbon monoxide safely outside a building. However, when equipment malfunctions, ventilation systems fail, or appliances are improperly installed or maintained, carbon monoxide can accumulate indoors to dangerous levels without anyone being aware of the problem.
When a person breathes in carbon monoxide, the gas enters the bloodstream and binds to hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that normally carries oxygen throughout the body. Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin roughly 200 to 250 times more effectively than oxygen does, which means even relatively small concentrations of the gas can rapidly displace oxygen in the blood. As carbon monoxide levels rise in the body, tissues and organs are progressively starved of oxygen, leading to a cascade of symptoms that can escalate from mild discomfort to life-threatening emergency in a matter of hours or even minutes depending on the concentration.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Symptoms and Long-Term Health Effects
One of the most dangerous aspects of carbon monoxide poisoning is how easily its early symptoms are mistaken for other common illnesses. The initial signs of CO exposure typically include a dull headache, dizziness, nausea, and general fatigue. Many victims assume they are coming down with the flu or a stomach bug, particularly during the colder months when heating systems are running and flu season is at its peak. This misidentification can prove deadly because victims may lie down to rest rather than evacuate the area, allowing their exposure to continue and worsen.
As exposure increases, symptoms progress to include vomiting, confusion, blurred vision, difficulty breathing, chest pain, muscle weakness, and impaired coordination. At high concentrations, victims may lose consciousness. People who are sleeping, intoxicated, or otherwise incapacitated are at the greatest risk because they may not recognize the symptoms in time to get to safety. Children, elderly individuals, and people with pre-existing heart or respiratory conditions are also especially vulnerable to the effects of carbon monoxide.
Even after the immediate exposure has ended, many carbon monoxide poisoning survivors face serious long-term health consequences. Delayed neurological symptoms can appear days or even weeks after the initial event and may include persistent memory problems, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, depression, anxiety, and personality changes. Some victims develop chronic headaches, ongoing fatigue, and sleep disturbances that interfere with their ability to work and carry out daily activities. In severe cases, carbon monoxide poisoning can result in traumatic brain injury with permanent cognitive impairment. Cardiac damage is another potential long-term complication, as the heart is particularly sensitive to oxygen deprivation. Research has shown that carbon monoxide poisoning survivors face an elevated risk of cardiac events for years following their exposure.
Who Is Liable for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Tennessee?
Tennessee law requires property owners, landlords, employers, and facility operators to maintain reasonably safe conditions for the people who occupy or visit their properties. When carbon monoxide poisoning results from a failure to meet this standard of care, victims may be entitled to compensation through a premises liability claim, a product liability claim, or both, depending on the circumstances.
Landlords and property management companies are among the most commonly liable parties in carbon monoxide poisoning cases. A landlord who fails to properly maintain a furnace, water heater, or other fuel-burning appliance may be held responsible for injuries that result from a carbon monoxide leak. The same is true for landlords who fail to install or maintain working carbon monoxide detectors as required under Tennessee law. Hotels, motels, and commercial property owners also owe a duty of care to their guests and visitors and can face liability when their negligence results in CO exposure.
Employers may be held accountable when workers are exposed to carbon monoxide on the job, whether from malfunctioning equipment, inadequate ventilation, or the use of fuel-burning tools in enclosed spaces. In addition to potential workers’ compensation claims, employees may also have grounds to pursue third-party claims against equipment manufacturers or building owners.
Manufacturers of fuel-burning appliances, heating systems, and carbon monoxide detectors can also bear responsibility when their products are defectively designed, improperly manufactured, or sold without adequate safety warnings. If a carbon monoxide detector fails to activate during a leak, for example, the manufacturer may face product liability claims from the victims who were harmed as a result. Similarly, if a furnace or boiler has a known defect that causes carbon monoxide to leak into living or working spaces, the manufacturer and potentially the installer or maintenance provider may share liability.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Tennessee Vacation Rentals
Tennessee’s thriving tourism industry, particularly in the Great Smoky Mountains region, means that millions of visitors stay in vacation rental cabins, chalets, and short-term rental properties every year. Many of these properties are heated with gas furnaces, propane systems, or wood-burning fireplaces, all of which are potential sources of carbon monoxide if not properly maintained. Unfortunately, the rapid growth of the short-term rental market has outpaced safety oversight in many areas, leaving guests vulnerable to carbon monoxide exposure in properties where heating equipment has not been serviced, ventilation is inadequate, or carbon monoxide detectors are missing or nonfunctional.
Vacation rental carbon monoxide cases can involve multiple potentially liable parties, including the property owner, the property management company that oversees the rental, the maintenance company responsible for servicing heating equipment, and the manufacturer of any defective appliance or detector. Attorney Brad Burnette’s experience handling a carbon monoxide exposure case arising from a Sevier County vacation rental cabin gives our firm firsthand insight into the unique challenges these cases present, from identifying the source of the leak to determining which parties failed in their duty to keep guests safe.
If you or a family member were exposed to carbon monoxide while staying in a vacation rental in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, or anywhere else in Tennessee, it is important to take action quickly. Tennessee’s one-year statute of limitations on personal injury claims means that time is limited, and critical evidence such as maintenance records, inspection reports, and the condition of the property at the time of the incident can be lost or destroyed if a legal team is not involved early in the process.
Compensation Available to Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Victims
Victims of carbon monoxide poisoning may be entitled to compensation for a wide range of damages, including medical expenses for emergency treatment, hospitalization, oxygen therapy, and ongoing medical care. Victims who suffer long-term neurological effects or other lasting health problems may also recover compensation for future medical treatment, rehabilitation, and therapy. Lost wages and loss of earning capacity are common elements of carbon monoxide claims, particularly when victims are unable to return to work for extended periods or are left with permanent impairments that limit their ability to earn a living.
Pain and suffering damages compensate victims for the physical discomfort, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life caused by their injuries. In cases where carbon monoxide poisoning results in death, the victim’s family may pursue a wrongful death claim to recover compensation for funeral and burial expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and the emotional suffering of surviving family members.
Contact Fox, Farley, Willis & Burnette Today
If you or a loved one has been injured by carbon monoxide poisoning in Tennessee, the attorneys at Fox, Farley, Willis & Burnette are here to help. We serve clients throughout East Tennessee from our offices in Clinton, Knoxville, Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Maryville, and LaFollette. Our team has the experience, resources, and determination to hold negligent property owners, landlords, manufacturers, and employers accountable for the harm they have caused. Contact our Tennessee carbon monoxide poisoning attorneys today for a free consultation to discuss your case and learn more about your legal options.