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Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless and odorless gas produced by the incomplete burning of material containing carbon. You can’t see it, smell it or taste it but carbon monoxide can cause serious illness or death. It has been referred to many times as the “silent killer” and is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that CO poisoning claims nearly 500 lives, and causes more than 15,000 visits to hospital emergency departments every year in the U.S.

To be sure, this odorless, tasteless and colorless gas is ruthless. Your exposure to CO would quickly result in one or more symptoms including headache, nausea and fatigue. The deadly gas goes undetected in a home without a proper CO detector, and if the people exposed to it do not know of its existence in their environment a proper diagnosis is problematic. Further, CO poisoning can be notoriously difficult to diagnose because the symptoms mimic those of other conditions, notably the flu. Children, pregnant women, babies and individuals with heart conditions are at most risk but CO poisoning can affect anyone. Prolonged exposure can lead to brain damage and ultimately death.

Sources of CO

Some sources of carbon monoxide include gas water heaters, kerosene space heaters, charcoal grills, propane heaters and stoves, gasoline- and diesel-powered generators, cigarette smoke, propane-fueled forklifts, gas-powered concrete saws, indoor races or tractor pulls, boat engines, spray paint, solvents, degreasers and paint removers. Although CO results from when any material burns, more is produced when there is insufficient oxygen for fully efficient combustion. And, yes, cigarette smoke, including the second-hand variety, contains CO, although in an insufficient concentration to do immediate damage. Given enough time, of course, even small amounts of CO can build to dangerous levels in the bloodstream.

The danger comes from improperly vented appliances and machinery such as those listed above, especially ones that run for extended periods of time near human habitation. Such continuous exposure can lead to flu-like symptoms, as noted previously, but would keep escalating into more severe headaches, fatigue, dizziness and nausea. As toxic levels are approached, a victim may experience mental confusion, severe irritability, impaired judgment, memory loss and lack of coordination.

Treatment and prevention

The fastest and most effective way to begin treating the effects of CO poisoning is to relocate affected people (and pets) to open, fresh air away from the source of the gas immediately.  At an emergency room, someone suffering from acute CO poisoning will be given pure oxygen to breathe, which speeds up the excretion of the gas from the blood. More serious cases may require a special treatment known as Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). This therapy can significantly improve the chances of survival and reduce the risk of further damage to the body. HBOT elevates the amount of oxygen in the body to about ten times normal levels by placing the victim inside a hyperbaric (higher than atmospheric pressure) chamber. Most of the developed world’s hospitals are now equipped with this lifesaving technology.

The best way for you and your loved ones to avoid the “silent killer” is to be educated on how and why CO poisoning occurs. Also, if you live in an environment that includes any of the CO sources mentioned above, you should take the appropriate action to repair any leaks or malfunctions in them. Of course, installing CO detectors in your home and place of business, and maintaining them with fresh batteries, is a powerful preventative step, as well. If you do not think ahead and follow a thorough anti-CO strategy, you are most definitely putting yourself, your family, your friends and neighbors, and your employees at great risk.

Robert P. Schuster, P.C., has achieved its reputation as a law firm by winning big cases—in jury trials and in settlements. He has a national reputation for success in representing his clients in cases including carbon monoxide poisoning, business torts, intellectual property, commercial litigation and brain injury.

Let’s face it, no one likes getting a jury duty request. The first sign that you will heading down the bureaucratic path is when you receive a letter in the mail regarding a trial date and time that you’re expected to arrive. Your name can end up on the prospective juror list if it’s in one or more databases, including voter registrations, utility bills, driver’s licenses and property tax rolls. Regardless of your situation and how you ended up getting “called for jury duty,” there are certain criteria that must be met and answers that must be filed with the court clerk before you arrive in the courtroom.

When you get your letter, there will be a set of instructions with it. It really will pay you in the long run to (a) keep this letter, (b) read it carefully and (c) do what it tells you. There are now fines and other civil penalties that can be meted out if you ignore the letter, which is, in point of fact, a legal summons. Be sure to check the due date on the card, and note that (in many locales) the first thing you must do is call a specified phone number and check in. If there is no reason that you cannot serve, you will be told to show at the appointed time and place.

Exemptions and exclusions

If, after reading the instructions, you see that you are not required to serve, you will have to fill a form and mail it in. There is a section to fill out for individuals that have legitimate excuses to miss jury duty. Of course, there are no longer very many reasons that the court will accept. All of the exemption options available to you will be listed on the letter’s questionnaire.

If you have been convicted of a felony, are a sworn peace officer currently on active duty, are in the military (with certain exceptions) or are the sole support and care for an elderly or disabled person, you will be disqualified from service in most states. Again, if you have determined that you are not eligible for an excused absence, you are normally expected to call a phone number on the letter to confirm the specific time and place of your jury duty.

Going to court

If you are selected to be in a pool of potential jurors, you will need to arrive on time, without fail. Being a little bit early never hurts, but being even a bit late can get you in hot water. Missing the appointment entirely will result in a bench warrant being issued in some states and counties. When you finally do get to the right place, there will typically be a court officer (bailiff, sheriff, clerk) that will hand you a form to complete with your name and various other types of information that the court needs.

This information you supply will be combined with other data and used to help select the final panel of jurors that will be seated for the trial. Once the officer has collected each form, the judge is then informed that the potential jurors have been “prepped” and they will then be taken into the courtroom.

From Rome to Britain to America

Defense attorneys are present in the courtroom when the “jury pool” arrives, and defendants may or may not be depending upon a number of legal circumstances. In criminal trials, the plaintiff is a prosecutor for the state or county in which the crime was committed, with the case being filed by the district attorney’s office in most jurisdictions. The judge will brief those present in court, including any spectators or media in the gallery, about the case and then the jury selection begins.

“Voir dire” (vwahr deer) is a phrase in law that derives from an Anglo-Norman corruption of the Latin phrase “verum dicere” (to tell the truth). It refers to the process whereby attorneys for both sides, the plaintiff/prosecution and the defense, ask questions of potential jurors to determine their suitability for open-minded, even-handed deliberations. As each name is called, attorneys from both sides will ask the individuals certain questions about themselves and their beliefs, as well as things pertaining to the case. This is the only way to determine if that person will be a suitable choice for the final jury that is “impaneled” to hear the case.

Civic duty can cost you

If you are chosen as a juror, your service is required as a prospective juror for a minimum of one day. In most every jurisdiction the court will tell you to be prepared to remain the entire day. You will typically be advised that, if sworn in as a juror, your jury service will continue until the trial is complete, with the average trial nationwide taking from three days to one week. However, you cannot know in advance how long your service will be. This can present some problems for working people, students and parents of small children.

Some employers will reimburse employees for jury duty time, while others will not. The “per diem” (daily payment) from courts ranges from zero in some states to $15 in California, commencing on the second day of the trial (the first one is always free, as the old saying goes). You will no longer be excused for financial hardship in most states, so get a babysitter for the kids, use up your vacation time and figure out a way to make up for the loss of pay. The fact is, juries are one of a free nation’s best bulwarks against tyranny in government, and everyone should be willing to serve when called.

Robert P. Schuster, P.C., has achieved its reputation as a law firm by winning big cases—in jury trials and in settlements. He has a national reputation for success in representing his clients in cases including intellectual property, business torts, brain injury and commercial litigation