Table of contents
- Latest Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Lawsuit Updates
- April 6, 2026: Seattle Police Class Action Moves Forward
- April 11, 2025: School District and Health Officials Say Covington Air Is Safe
- April 9, 2025: Covington Middle School Injunction Petition Filed
- May 8, 2019: Airdrie Condo Residents Launch Class Action
- What Is Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
- Who May Be Affected?
- Reported Injuries or Damages
- Evidence to Preserve
- Filing Deadlines
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Can You Sue for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
- What Are the Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
- What Does the Research Say About Carbon Monoxide Exposure?
- Who Can Be Sued for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
- What Is the Airdrie Condo Case About?
- Why Did Covington Parents Seek an Injunction?
Carbon monoxide poisoning lawsuits involve people exposed to the gas at work, at school or at home. The gas comes from fuel-burning appliances such as stoves, furnaces and generators, and from vehicle exhaust and faulty heating equipment.
Plaintiffs allege painful symptoms from breathing the gas, and in one condo case a boy’s death. The claims name employers, schools, builders and property managers.
No MDL has been formed. The cases are separate: a proposed class action by Seattle police officers, a Virginia school injunction petition that the district disputes and an Alberta condo class action.
Latest Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Lawsuit Updates
April 6, 2026: Seattle Police Class Action Moves Forward
KOMO News reported that Seattle police officers are moving forward with a proposed class action against the City of Seattle. It targets carbon monoxide and vehicle exhaust at the West Precinct garage [1].
The complaint seeks class certification, injunctive relief, damages, attorney fees and costs. In May 2024, the Washington Court of Appeals said a jury found the city liable for negligently exposing Sgt. David Hockett to car exhaust containing carbon monoxide.
April 11, 2025: School District and Health Officials Say Covington Air Is Safe
At a press conference, Alleghany Highlands Public Schools Superintendent Kim Halterman and Virginia health officials said the air at the Covington school is safe after multiple inspections, WFXR reported [2].
The district said it will upgrade the school’s ventilation system. Attorney John Fishwick said students’ symptoms returned when they came back to school. These are the parties’ own statements.
April 9, 2025: Covington Middle School Injunction Petition Filed
Attorney John Fishwick filed an injunction petition in Alleghany Circuit Court in Virginia. It asks a judge to shut Covington Middle School for a time until the school year ends, WSLS reported [3].
The school was evacuated on January 31 over an unknown odor. Students returned on March 18. Fishwick said ten families had children retested for carbon monoxide. All tested positive for high levels. A hearing was set for April 23.
May 8, 2019: Airdrie Condo Residents Launch Class Action
Global News reported that residents of an Airdrie, Alberta condo building launched a class action seeking nearly $16 million. The building had two carbon monoxide leaks in 2018 [4].
The statement of claim is dated April 29, 2019. It names FirstService Residential, the management company, and CPI Crown Properties International Corporation, the builder. None of the allegations have been tested in court.
What Is Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
According to ATSDR, carbon monoxide is a colorless, nonirritating, odorless, tasteless gas found in indoor and outdoor air [5]. It is made when carbon fuel is not burned completely. The most important human-made source is automobile exhaust.
Who May Be Affected?
ATSDR names several ways people breathe in carbon monoxide. One is gas from stoves, furnaces, heaters and generators that are not installed or filtered well. Another is automobile exhaust.
Working in industries that burn gas and coal is a third route. So is working in places with high vehicular exhaust.
The EPA lists unvented kerosene and gas space heaters, leaking chimneys and furnaces, gas stoves and generators as sources. It also lists exhaust from attached garages [6].
People with heart or lung disease are more vulnerable to the toxic effects of carbon monoxide. Whether you qualify depends on your own facts and takes an individual legal review.
Reported Injuries or Damages
Plaintiffs in the Seattle case allege severe headaches, nausea, vomiting and trouble breathing. Covington parents report headaches, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. These are allegations, not court findings.
The Airdrie claim seeks losses including lost wages, lost rental income, depreciation and out-of-pocket costs. Global News reported that a 12-year-old boy died after the 2018 leaks.
MedlinePlus says it is often hard to tell if someone has carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms may be like those of other illnesses [7].
ATSDR says exposure to high levels can be life-threatening. It calls carbon monoxide poisoning the leading cause of death due to poisoning in the United States.
Evidence to Preserve
Records from the time of the exposure can help show what happened. Keep these items:
- Photos and video of the equipment, vents and the space where the exposure happened.
- Records of any carbon monoxide alarm, including the dates and any readings it showed.
- Maintenance, inspection and repair records for heating and other fuel-burning appliances in the building.
- Lease, purchase or work records that show where you lived, worked or studied then.
- Medical records and any carbon monoxide test results from your doctor or hospital.
- Evacuation notices, emails and messages with landlords, employers or schools about the leak.
- Receipts for hotel stays, repairs and lost income linked to the exposure.
Filing Deadlines
Filing deadlines for a carbon monoxide poisoning claim come from state law. They vary with where you live and when the exposure, illness or injury and the diagnosis happened.
Some states start the clock at diagnosis. A carbon monoxide claim filed after its deadline can be lost, even with strong facts. Talk to a lawyer promptly so a deadline does not pass.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Sue for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
You can bring a carbon monoxide poisoning claim in some situations. Employees, parents and condo residents have each filed one. Each case rests on its own facts. The allegations in the Seattle, Covington and Airdrie cases remain untested.
What Are the Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning reported in people who breathe the gas include headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, confusion, chest pain and weakness. ATSDR also lists heart failure, difficulty breathing, seizures and coma.
What Does the Research Say About Carbon Monoxide Exposure?
Research on carbon monoxide exposure from ATSDR says breathing high levels in pregnancy can cause miscarriage. MedlinePlus adds that people who are sleeping or intoxicated can die before symptoms start. The EPA says effects vary with age, health and length of exposure.
Who Can Be Sued for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
Who can be sued for carbon monoxide poisoning depends on the facts of each case. The existing cases name a city as employer, a school system, and a condo builder and management company. The allegations against them remain untested in court.
What Is the Airdrie Condo Case About?
The Airdrie condo case began after residents were evacuated on February 4, 2018, over hazardous carbon monoxide levels. Investigators later found that improperly installed water heaters in some units caused the leaks. They also said the building had no carbon monoxide detectors.
Why Did Covington Parents Seek an Injunction?
Covington parents sought an injunction to shut the school for a time, citing a health hazard and public nuisance. The district and health department say the air is safe. The school had already closed for six weeks.