Long Term Effects of Carbon Monoxide Exposure

Carbon monoxide exposure is a hidden menace that can occur in a variety of situations, mostly involving enclosed spaces and machinery or appliances. Running a vehicle in a garage or using poorly ventilated stoves or water heaters runs the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Fires, including house fires, apartment fires, and even in some cases campfires, also pose a risk.

Exposure to carbon monoxide is always dangerous, but the longer the exposure the greater the danger. Carbon monoxide tends to build up in enclosed spaces over time, and then the molecule builds up in the bloodstream and other tissue. Because it has no odor and the onset of symptoms can be difficult to recognize, many people simply fall asleep and never wake up. Carbon monoxide is all too often a silent killer.

Even for those who survive, the long term ramifications of exposure can be significant. Carbon monoxide can cause a variety of health defects, including damage to the lungs and damage to the central nervous system. Delayed Neurological Syndrome is just one of the conditions that can affect a person who suffered from exposure to carbon monoxide.

Oftentimes, the long-term damage to the neurological system is caused by anoxia (or oxygen deprivation). Carbon monoxide can build up in the blood stream, limiting the ability of the body to provide oxygen to the brain. When this happens, brain damage occurs. A hyperbaric chamber is utilized in an attempt to reverse the damage or at least to prevent additional cell death, but the treatment is not always effective.

If you or someone you love has suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, it can take days or weeks for the full extent of the damage to be recognized. Many times symptoms take significant amounts of time to develop. Please consult with an experienced attorney about your case.