Can You Claim For Carbon Monoxide Poisoning At Work?

In this guide, we will explain how to claim for carbon monoxide poisoning at work. Carbon monoxide is a gas that’s released when fuels like gas, coal, oil and wood aren’t burned completely. When inhaled, it can cause serious illness and, in some cases, be fatal.

Carbon monoxide poisoning at work claims guide

Carbon monoxide poisoning at work claims guide

If you work in any role where you might be at risk of carbon monoxide exposure, your employer must take steps to protect you. If they don’t, you could seek damages for any suffering that results. Where you or a loved one have been made ill by carbon monoxide poisoning at work, we could help you claim.

Accident Claims can provide free legal advice during a no-obligation review of your claim. If your case appears to have the grounds to proceed, we could introduce you to one of our specialist solicitors.

They’ve got a great deal of experience in helping clients with accident at work claims. Importantly, you only need to pay them for their work if you’re compensated if they offer representation on a No Win No Fee basis. That means you can claim for any physical or psychological injuries without having to pay your solicitor upfront.

If are ready to make a claim today, why not call one of our advisors on 0800 073 8801? Alternatively, please continue reading to learn more about your options.

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What Is Carbon Monoxide Poisoning At Work?

When you breathe in carbon monoxide, it goes into your bloodstream. It then interacts with the haemoglobin, which is the bit of your red blood cells that transport oxygen around your body. When it does, it forms carboxyhaemoglobin.

This stops the blood from being able to transport oxygen around your body. Without a supply of oxygen, the cells and tissue that make up the body begin to die.

In terms of claiming compensation for illness caused by exposure to carbon monoxide at work, you’ll need to show that:

  • You were owed a duty of care by your employer;
  • Your employer breached their duty of care towards you because they were negligent; and
  • As a result of that negligence, you suffered carbon monoxide poisoning.

Where the above conditions are all true, we could help you to claim compensation. To find out more about your options, please call today.

How Could You Be Exposed To Carbon Monoxide In The Workplace?

Carbon monoxide is released when fuel is not fully burned. This can happen when oil, wood, petrol and gas are used as fuel. The odourless and invisible gas can also be released by vehicles, furnaces, stoves, fireplaces and lanterns, amongst other things.

One reason why carbon monoxide may be released is if any equipment used in the burning process is not maintained properly. For example, if you have a poorly maintained boiler, this could produce harmful carbon monoxide.

Another example is where a chimney or flue is blocked so that the dangerous gas cannot be expelled from the premises. This means that it builds up inside and becomes a risk to anybody working there.

Maintaining equipment is just one thing that employers can do to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning at work. We’ll look at what else can be done to help prevent accidents at work later on.

Signs And Symptoms Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

In this section, we’ve included the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning for your information. According to the NHS, the main symptoms include:

  • Nausea or being sick.
  • A feeling of dizziness.
  • Confusion and tiredness.
  • Difficulty breathing and shortness of breath.
  • Stomach pain.

If you have only been exposed to low levels of carbon monoxide, you may experience symptoms similar to flu. However, this won’t include a raised temperature.

Where low-level exposure occurs over a long period, your symptoms might get worse. This could mean you might:

  • Find it difficult to concentrate or think.
  • Suffer from depression, irritability or make irrational decisions.

When exposed to higher levels of carbon monoxide, the symptoms can be more severe. You could suffer with:

  • An impaired mental state or change in your personality.
  • Loss of coordination.
  • Vertigo (where everything appears to be spinning).
  • Tachycardia (a heartbeat of 100bpm or more) and breathlessness.
  • Chest pain.
  • Muscle spasms.
  • Loss of consciousness.

If you are concerned that you’re suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, you should seek immediate treatment. If you have been exposed to low levels, then you should make an appointment with your GP, according to the NHS. In the event that you believe you have been exposed to high levels, you should go to A&E.

What Is The Effect Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?

There are three main risks involved with exposure to carbon monoxide, according to the NHS. They are:

  • Brain damage. As a result of carbon monoxide exposure, you could suffer vision loss, hearing loss and memory problems. You could also find it difficult to concentrate.
  • Heart disease. In cases where your exposure to carbon monoxide has happened over a longer period of time, you could be at risk of developing coronary heart disease. This is where the build-up of atheroma (fatty substances) build up in the arteries and interrupts the supply of blood to the heart.
  • Harm to unborn babies. There are some risks to unborn babies who have been exposed to carbon monoxide. It can cause a low birth weight or behavioural problems. In severe cases, carbon monoxide could lead to stillbirth.

If you have suffered because of carbon monoxide poisoning at work, why not call to see if we could help you claim? We could offer you a free, no-obligation assessment of the value of your claim.

Who Is At Risk Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning At Work?

There are several job roles and industries where the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is higher. They include jobs where you have to use petrol-powered equipment or equipment using liquified petroleum gas in an enclosed space. You might also be at risk if you have to refurbish buildings in a way that disrupts ventilation systems. Furthermore, because carbon monoxide can be released by vehicles, using a vehicle in a poorly ventilated space could lead to exposure.

Examples of job roles that could lead you to be exposed to carbon monoxide include:

  • Welders and mechanics.
  • Motorway workers.
  • Forklift drivers.
  • Factory workers.
  • Gas engineers.

You might be at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning at work, even if you don’t work in one of the industries listed above. For instance, you could work as a teacher where there is a gas leak from a boiler in the staff room.

To check whether you could claim for injuries caused by carbon monoxide, please call today. Or, to find out more about how employers could prevent this kind of injury, please read on.

How Could Employers Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning At Work?

As part of their duty of care towards employee safety, there are many things employers are expected to do to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Some examples include:

  • Installing carbon monoxide detectors and checking they work regularly.
  • Ensure there is effective ventilation in areas at risk.
  • Train staff on safe working practices and the symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure.
  • Ban the use of fuel-powered equipment in areas without ventilation.
  • Consider using compressed air or batteries to power equipment rather than fuel-burning devices.
  • Test air quality in areas where there is a risk of carbon monoxide emissions.

Your employer could be sued by you if you have suffered because they failed to act to protect you. Importantly, they cannot fire you, demote you or treat you differently for making a claim. Therefore, please don’t fear the consequences of making a claim. Instead, why not call our team for free advice on your options?

What Should You Do If You Are Exposed To Carbon Monoxide?

Staff also have a duty of care when it comes to workplace safety. Therefore, there are some things you could do to help prevent yourself or your colleagues from suffering. They include:

  • Let your line manager know if a situation might increase the risk of carbon monoxide exposure.
  • Report any symptoms of exposure such as dizziness, headaches, drowsiness or sickness straight away.
  • Ensure you ventilate areas you’re working in where possible.
  • Evacuate the building immediately if you suspect carbon monoxide is present.

Employers may need to report some instances to the Health and Safety Executive. If they fail to do so, they may be breaking the law and could face charges.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning At Work Compensation Calculator

Now we are going to review what compensation could be paid for injuries caused by carbon monoxide poisoning at work. To do this, we’ve added a table of injuries and compensation ranges listed in the Judicial College Guidelines. These are used by solicitors and insurers to help in the valuation of claims.

If we haven’t listed an injury that matches yours, don’t worry. We could still help you to claim. We’ll let you know what your injuries might be worth after we’ve assessed your claim.

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Injury Severity Settlement Range Additional Comments
Brain Injury Moderately Severe £205,580 to £264,650 The claimant will require constant professional care because of their very serious disabilities.
Moderate (i) £140,870 to £205,580 There will be moderate to severe intellectual deficit, eyesight problems, personality change and a significant risk of epilepsy.
Less severe £14,830 to £40,410 The claimant will have recovered well and should be able to participate in social activities and return to work.
Chest Injury (c) £29,380 to £51,460 There will some continuing disability due to chest and lung damage.
Relatively simple (d) £11,820 to £16,860 While there will be some permanent tissue damage, it won’t cause significant lung function deficiencies.
(e) £5,000 to £11,820 Covers injuries caused by fume or smoke inhalation. It will result in some permanent damage but won’t permanently affect lung function.

The biggest factor in determining the compensation level is the severity of your injuries. For that reason, your solicitor will arrange a medical assessment as part of the claims process.

This will usually be arranged locally and conducted by an independent medical expert. They’ll review your injuries, discuss how you have suffered and check your medical notes. Once completed, the specialist will outline your injuries and prognosis, and this report can be used to help value your claim.

What Other Damages Can You Claim?

When you claim for an accident at work, you may need to consider whether your injuries have led to costs, expenses or financial losses. If you have, you could claim special damages.

The idea is that you should be returned to the financial position you were in before your injuries were sustained.

Every claim is unique. However, some examples of special damages include:

  • Lost income. If carbon monoxide poisoning means you need time off from work, you could claim for any loss of earnings that result. This could be the difference between your normal income and statutory sick pay.
  • Travel costs. Visits to doctors and hospitals could mean you pay for fuel, parking or public transport. Therefore, these costs could be claimed back.
  • Care costs. Where you need support with everyday tasks while you’re ill, you could claim for the cost of a carer. This might involve working out an hourly rate based on the time a loved one spent caring for you.
  • Home modifications. In more serious cases where carbon monoxide poisoning causes more serious injuries, changes to your home (and vehicle) could make coping a bit easier. Therefore, you could claim back the cost of work, such as installing ramps for easier wheelchair access or making space for oxygen tanks.
  • Medical costs. Where you might benefit from private medical care (to avoid NHS waiting lists for instance), your solicitor could ask your employer’s insurer to pay the costs.
  • Future loss of earnings. Where your condition means you can’t continue to work at the same level as previously, any future lost income could also be factored into your claim.

To help prove your losses, you should retain any relevant documents like bank statements and receipts. Without these, it will be very difficult for you to claim them back.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning At Work No Win No Fee Claims

Taking any type of legal action can be daunting, particularly if you are worried about the cost of legal representation.

However, if your carbon monoxide poisoning at work claim is accepted, you won’t need to be too concerned about this as our solicitors provide a No Win No Fee service. That means you only need to pay for their work if you are paid compensation.

Where that is the case, your solicitor will deduct a success fee from your compensation. This will be listed in the contract that explains what your solicitor needs to do before they’re paid. A Conditional Fee Agreement is a formal name for a No Win No Fee agreement.

Importantly, success fees are capped in law, so you can’t be overcharged. Yours will be listed clearly in the CFA. We can check if your case is suitable for a No Win No Fee service during your free case review. So, why not call today for more information?

Why Choose Our Team For A Claim Against Your Employer?

We believe you stand a better chance of receiving a fair compensation settlement if you have a personal injury solicitor on your side. Our team of solicitors have years of experience helping clients and understand the claims process fully.

To make everything as efficient as possible, claims are dealt with over the phone, online and by email. To reduce your stress during any claim we take on, our solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis. You’ll be kept up to date about how things are progressing, and you’ll be able to ask any questions you think of.

Ultimately, our solicitors will always try to achieve the maximum amount of compensation for you. If this kind of agreement is appealing to you, then you could be represented by a No Win No Fee lawyer from our panel.

Get In Touch

We have nearly completed this article about claiming for carbon monoxide poisoning at work. To start your claim with Accident Claims UK, you can:

  • Connect to live chat and discuss your options online.
  • Call our advice centre on 0800 073 8801 to speak with a specialist.
  • Use our enquiry form to arrange a call back from a member of our team.
  • Send an email to office@accidentclaims.co.uk to let us know why you’d like to take action.

For your convenience, you can call our advice centre to log a claim 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.

Read More

Below, you can find links to some more of our guides on accident at work claims:

Thank you for reading our guide on claiming for suffering caused by carbon monoxide poisoning at work.

Guide by BH

Edited by FS