If you've suffered from the long-term effects of a smoke inhalation injury,contact National Accident Helpline about making a no-win no fee compensation claim.
What is a smoke inhalation injury?
A smoke inhalation injury is when you are exposed to and inhale toxic, harmful or carcinogenic chemicals fumes from smoke and it causes you an injury. The injury will usually be to your chest and lungs. The chemicals present in smoke inhalation can vary depending on what is burning. It is incredibly dangerous to inhale toxic fumes.
What are the dangers of smoke inhalation from fires?
Smoke inhalation from a fire can cause a smoke inhalation injury. In fact, more deaths occur as a result of smoke inhalation from a fire than burns. Signs of a smoke inhalation injury can be as little as a sore throat to severe breathing difficulties.
Smoke inhalation can cause long-term health issues, such as:
- oedema
- cerebral hypoxia
- asphyxia
- pneumonia
- cancer
- stridor
- acute respiratory distress syndrome
How much smoke inhalation is dangerous?
Any amount of smoke inhalation can be dangerous and could cause a smoke inhalation injury, Short amounts of exposure to smoke inhalation can cause immediate effects such as irritation to the eyes and nose. A large amount of smoke inhalation can affect breathing and your lungs.
How long does it take for smoke inhalation to affect you?
Smoke inhalation can have an immediate effect on your health, and the effects can last a long time. Recovery from inhaling toxic fumes can take anything from a few weeks to many months.
What are the symptoms of toxic fume inhalation?
The symptoms of toxic fume inhalation can vary depending on exactly what you have inhaled. If you inhale, for example, lots of methane or carbon dioxide, it can cause:
- nausea
- fainting
- your senses and other faculties do not work correctly
Chlorine and ammonia, for example, can make your nose and mouth feel like they are burning.
Meanwhile, chemical poisoning symptoms can include:
- visual skin burns
- vomiting
- diarrhoea
- breathing difficulties including shortness of breath
- chest pains
- headaches
- dizziness
- sore throat
- wheezing
- buildup of mucus
What should I do if I inhale smoke or toxic fumes?
If you inhale, or think you may have inhaled, smoke or toxic fumes, you should seek immediate medical advice. You may need to call 999 as hospital treatment might be necessary to stop long-term lung damage.
Where might smoke inhalation injuries happen?
There are many different ways smoke inhalation injuries may occur. For example, you could suffer a smoke inhalation injury at work because:
- your workplace did not provide you with the personal protective clothing you need to wear
- someone spills a noxious substance
- gas leaks from a damaged plant
Frequently asked questions...
We're only able to help you claim for your physical injury and the impact this has had on your life. If you've been unfairly dismissed from work because of your injury, your solicitor will also take this into consideration when making your claim.
To find out how much your claim might be worth and to get an insight into what is taken into account when calculating your compensation, you can try our industry-leading compensation calculator.
Your solicitor does the majority of the work throughout your claim, including contacting the responsible party and negotiating on your behalf. This leaves you with the time to focus on your recovery.
However, there are a couple of things you can do to help with your case. Your solicitor may need evidence of your accident, such as photographs or witness names. We realise that it can be difficult to gather this information, but having it before you start your claim could help to make the process simpler.
They will also invite you to take part in a free medical assessment. This is nothing to worry about and usually only takes around 20 minutes. The findings from your assessment will be used to support your compensation claim and can also help you to understand how your recovery is going.
Read more about our free medical assessments.
What should my employer do to keep me safe from inhaling smoke or toxic fumes?
Your employer is under a legal duty to ensure your safety when carrying out your work. This includes keeping you safe from potential dangers and accidents which can occur such as inhaling smoke or toxic fumes.
Your employer can keep you safe from inhaling smoke or toxic fumes by:
- ensuring they provide you with PPE
- carrying out regular risk assessments to spot dangers and remove them
- train you to do your job with minimal risk of injury
- ensure you have the correct equipment for your job
Can I claim compensation for a smoke inhalation injury?
If you suffer a smoke inhalation injury, and it was someone else's fault, you might be able to make a compensation claim. If you have suffered a personal injury and it was due, for example, to another, such as your employer, failing in their duty of care towards you, you may be due compensation.
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Ryan Panter
Claims Advisor
One of our experienced claims advisors, Ryan enjoys the sense of service and purpose he can give our customers.
View profileMeet the teamCould I lose my job if I claim against my employer?
If you make a personal injury claim against your employer such as for smoke inhalation you should not lose your job as a result. Your employer has a legal duty to keep you safe at work and if they fail, you have a legal right to make a claim.
If you do have an issue with your employer which you believe is a result of making a compensation claim, you should take legal advice from an employment solicitor.
How much compensation might I get for a smoke inhalation injury?
No matter what type of personal injury claim you make, how much compensation you can claim will depend on the exact circumstances of your situation.
For a smoke inhalation injury, you can claim both general damages which are a result of the amount you are injured in terms of how it will affect your life situation and also special damages. Special damages cover expenses arising from your smoke inhalation injury which are out-of-pocket expenses, such as:
- income lost as a result of the injury such as the time taken for treatment
- treatment costs
- any equipment needed to aid the effects of your injury
- other financial losses
- compensation for any prejudice oy may be received on the job market
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How long after the accident can I start my claim?
It is important to note that if you suffer a smoke inhalation injury, there is a specific period within which you need to begin your claim. This applies to any type of personal injury claim.
You must start your claim within three years from the date the smoke inhalation injury took place. Alternatively, you can begin your compensation claim once you realise that you are a victim of a smoke inhalation injury, which is the date of knowledge.
However, if it is a child who has unfortunately suffered a smoke inhalation injury, you can claim for them up until their 18th birthday. Once they hit 18 and become an adult, they can make their own claim but must do so within three years.
How long might my smoke inhalation injury claim take?
The compensation claim process for a smoke inhalation injury compensation claim will vary between claims as each claim has its own circumstances and factors which will affect this.
Can I make a no-win no fee claim?
If you suffer a smoke inhalation injury and want to make a compensation claim, at National Accident Helpline, you can make a no-win no fee claim This means that when you make your compensation claim, you don't have to pay a penny. Instead, you wait for your claim to be processed and to receive the compensation you deserve. With a non-win no fee claim you do not take any financial risk provided you have suitable Legal expense insurance in place but your solicitor will talk you through this in more detail.
Will I have to go to court to discuss my claim?
It is unusual to need to go to court to discuss any type of personal injury claim, so unlikely you will need to for your smoke inhalation injury claim. This is where the person or organisation you claim against, admits the injury was their fault so admits liability. Here at National Accident Helpline, 95% of our personal injury claims are settled out of court meaning the majority of people who are owed a compensation claim within us avoid the stress of court.
Why choose National Accident Helpline to support my claim?
If you have suffered a smoke inhalation injury and want to make a compensation claim you a justifiably due, choose National Accident Helpline to support your claim.
At National Accident Helpline, our experienced, patient and caring advisors want to help you to claim compensation for your smoke inhalation injury. They will listen attentively to your situation and then pass you to one of our many competent personal injury solicitors. Your compensation claim is in the right hands with us.
Let National Accident Helpline support your smoke inhalation injury claim. Give us a call at today. Or you can request a call back here and even begin your claim online.
How do I start my claim?
It is easy to start your compensation claim for your smoke inhalation injury with National Accident Helpline. Simply give us a call today at or you can start the process online here. Perhaps you want to get an estimate of how much compensation you might get with us? If so, you can calculate your potential compensation online by using our compensation calculator.
Starting your claim with National Accident Helpline begins with us finding out how your personal injury occurred. Then one of our specialist solicitors will complete your compensation claim for you. All that is left is for you to enjoy the compensation you deserve. We do all we can to make the claim process totally stress-free.
If you think you may be due personal injury compensation for your smoke inhalation injury, don't hesitate to call us today on . We can start your compensation claim immediately. You can alternatively request a call back here or you can make a claim online.