Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyers Report: Pennsylvania Legislature Passes Carbon Monoxide Detector Law

Here is a sobering statistic: Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of cases of carbon monoxide poisoning and deaths.

Carbon monoxide can be found in the combustion fumes of motor vehicles, gas stoves and ranges, heating appliances and small gasoline engines.  Often referred to as the “silent killer,” the dangerous carbon monoxide gas is virtually undetectable by home owners given its lack of odor or color.

Carbon monoxide poisoning affects an individual’s red blood cells, causing a lack of oxygen in the body which can result in significant tissue damage and even death.  Common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness and chest pain. More than 20,000 emergency room visits and 400 fatalities each year in the United States are attributable to unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning.  Elderly persons, babies and people with chronic heart disease, anemia or respiratory problems are more susceptible to the effects of this deadly gas.

A new Pennsylvania law seeks to reduce the number of deaths attributable to carbon monoxide poisoning.  Under this law, which will officially take effect in June 2015, carbon monoxide detectors will become mandatory in all multifamily dwellings that have a fossil fuel-burning appliance (such as a heater or fireplace) or an attached garage.  The use of fossil fuel burning units to heat a home increases the chance of exposure to the deadly carbon monoxide gas.  Until the passage of the new law, only newly constructed homes were required to have carbon monoxide detectors.  Pennsylvania joins 35 other states in enacting legislation requiring carbon monoxide detectors in residences.

Galfand Berger Personal Injury Lawyers Represent Individuals Injured by Property Owners’ Negligence & Defective Products

Individuals who suffer physical injuries as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning often have causes of action against property owners or the manufacturers, distributors, or designers of malfunctioning carbon monoxide detectors. If you or your loved one has suffered injuries resulting from carbon monoxide poisoning, compensation may be available for your injuries.  The experienced personal injury attorneys at Galfand Berger work with injured individuals to help them receive compensation from all potentially responsible parties for medical costs (including costs of medical treatment, prescriptions and rehabilitation), loss of wages and pain and suffering.

Our dedicated Pennsylvania product liability attorneys have offices conveniently located in Philadelphia, Reading and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to assist injured individuals throughout Pennsylvania, including the Harrisburg and Allentown region, as well as the South Jersey area.  Call the Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Galfand Berger today at 1-800-222-8792 or contact us online to schedule your free confidential consultation.