Smoke inhalation occurs when you breathe in harmful, often toxic, smoke from burning materials and gases. In the event of a fire, the smoke inhalation by victims often leads to fatal injuries rather than the burns. This is because the smoke a person inhales in a fire may contain chemicals such as carbon monoxide or cyanide, which are lethal.
When you breathe in these toxins, your lungs and airway may become swollen, irritated or even blocked, preventing oxygen from getting into your blood. This leads to respiratory failure. Smoke inhalation typically happens when individuals are trapped inside a burning building. The harmful chemicals and toxic gases that are released might come from materials that are commonly used in construction such as plastic, rubber or electrical wiring.
Here are five things we should all know about smoke inhalation and the injuries it causes:
1. Most fire-related deaths are caused by smoke, not burns.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the majority of fatalities as a result of fires are not caused by burn injuries, but by smoke inhalation. This is because smoke incapacitates individuals very quickly. People are overcome and cannot make it to an otherwise accessible exit. The synthetic materials commonly used today in our homes produce a lot of these toxic substances. Some of the most common substances that are produced in a fire include carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide (from plastics, PVC pipes, etc.), and phosgene (from burning vinyl). At higher levels, phosgene may cause pulmonary edema and even death.
2. Those who suffer from smoke inhalation display symptoms.
Those who have inhaled smoke in a fire do experience a number of symptoms including:
• Cough: Smoke irritates the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract causing them to secrete more mucus. This may lead to coughing. The mucus might be clear or black depending on the amount of burned particles deposited in the lungs and trachea.
• Difficulty breathing: This might be caused by direct injury to the respiratory tract leading to decreased oxygen to the blood.
• Hoarseness: This is a symptom of fluids collecting in the upper airway where they may cause a blockage. Also, chemicals irritate vocal cords causing swelling and constriction of the upper airways.
• Headache: Most fires emit carbon monoxide gas. This often causes symptoms such as headache, nausea and vomiting.
• Mental status changes: Low oxygen levels may lead to mental status changes such as confusion, fainting, seizures and even coma.
3. It is possible to prevent smoke inhalation injuries.
When it comes to smoke inhalation, prevention is key. There are a number of strategies that may be employed to avoid smoke exposure. Smoke detectors should be placed in every room of an occupied building. In addition to smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors should also be placed. New York City requires the installation of carbon monoxide detectors (alarms) in all new and existing one- and two-family homes, apartment buildings, hotels, dormitories, nursing homes and schools. Escape routes must be reviewed periodically.
4. Smoke alarms save lives.
Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a critical role in reducing deaths and injuries relating to fires and smoke inhalation. If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads quickly and smoke alarms allow you the time to make your exit. Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside each sleeping area. Install alarms on every level of the home. When a smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. If you don’t have smoke alarms in your home or apartment building, alert the property owner and/or property management. They are required under the law to install and maintain smoke alarms on the property.
5. You may be able to seek compensation for your losses.
Those who have suffered smoke inhalation injuries may be able to seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost earnings and benefits, permanent injuries such as scarring and disfigurement, past and future pain and suffering, etc. A negligent property owner and/or property manager who failed to install and/or maintain smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms etc. may be held liable in such cases by filing a premises liability lawsuit.
Compensation for NYC Fire Victims
If you or a loved one has been injured in a fire or in a smoke inhalation case, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys with the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. We obtained a $985,000 settlement out of a $1 million policy for two people who suffered smoke inhalation injuries and the $15,000 was left for a person that we did not represent.
Please call our offices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496) to discuss your case. We can also help with personal injury and medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com