Hempstead, NY Carbon Monoxide Accident Injures 9 on Fulton Avenue
Hempstead, NY -- January 22, 2020, nine people were hospitalized as the result of an accident where carbon monoxide leaked through an apartment building.
According to preliminary details, the incident happened at around 7:00 a.m. at a building located at 545 Fulton Avenue.
Emergency responders got the call after multiple residents reported feeling ill due to a gas leak. Rescue teams were able to evacuate the four story building, displacing roughly one hundred residents. Nine people were taken to area hospitals with carbon monoxide poisoning, including a mother and toddler who were unconscious when rescued.
Investigations by local firefighters found that heaters had been illegally installed in the apartment complex, and the installations reportedly lacked permits, proper plumbing, and proper gas hookups. The owner of the building, Pebble LLC, reportedly faces multiple violations at this time.
Additional details are unavailable at this time.
Commentary
Thanks to some more high profile cases and the misinformation campaign surrounding them (most notably the "McDonald's Coffee Lady"), there seems to exist this unspoken question when it comes to personal injury lawsuits: Why do we need them? Are they just there for greedy, irresponsible people to profit off of companies too scared to see the inside of a courtroom? Anyone who's ever needed to file a civil case knows the answer to that: of course not. In fact, it's usually for situations like the one in these reports that prove why the right to hold someone accountable in civil court is such an important one.
Here, according to reports, we have dozens of displaced, low-income families who appear to be victims of a property owner that cut corners, broke all the rules, and put lives at risk just to save some time and money. Authorities say that these owners failed to seek proper permits, let the installation of dangerous utilities be handled by people who did a rushed, crappy job, and ultimately allowed a potentially deadly hazard to exist.
Now obviously, there are punishments in both administrative and criminal courts that may see the people responsible for this face some consequences. But what does that do for the families who had to sit in the emergency room because their loved one almost died from carbon monoxide poisoning? Not a whole lot. And as unfortunate as it is, police can't go around wrangling insurance companies and company documents to get the owners to take responsibility for those hospital bills. The burden falls to the victims and families themselves to seek out professionals who can do this and guide them through the civil legal system. That's a challenging process for any family, but it's good that they have that right in the first place. That way, they can ensure they get the help they need while also taking direct steps to see the responsible party held accountable for their actions.
With the absolutely shocking details in these news reports, I sincerely hope those steps are taken here as soon as possible.
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