How to Preserve the CO Evidence
The appliance, venting, and detector that caused a poisoning are the key evidence, and the owner can repair or replace them within days. This checklist helps; your lawyer can take on most of it.
Identify the source equipment
Note the appliance involved — furnace, water heater, stove, or generator — its location, and its make and model if you can.
Ask that nothing be repaired or removed
Request, ideally in writing, that the appliance, venting, and any detector not be repaired, replaced, or discarded — they are the evidence.
Photograph it all
Photograph the appliance, venting and flues, and any detector or the place one should have been, before anything changes.
Keep records and communications
Save any maintenance records you can access, and all communications with the owner about the appliance or the exposure.
Get a lawyer to demand preservation fast
A lawyer can quickly demand the equipment and records be preserved and arrange an expert examination before anything is repaired.
The deadlines and rules depend on your state
The steps above apply wherever you were hurt. Filing deadlines, fault rules, and limits on damages differ by state — pick yours for what applies to carbon monoxide poisoning.
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A quick, confidential review can tell you — about two minutes, no cost, no obligation.
This is general information, not legal advice. Every situation is different, and the law differs by state.