If you have been exposed to a low-oxygen environment in the workplace, in the home or in other areas of New York, you may have concerns about damage to your brain cells from lack of oxygen. If, since the exposure, you have felt cloudy or have had trouble with cognition, this may present a serious concern and could be the result of exposure to a major health risk. But how possible is it for insufficient oxygen to lead to permanent brain trauma?
As it turns out, very possible. Mt. Sinai Hospital defines the condition of low oxygen as “hypoxia,” while brain damage due to hypoxia is called “anoxic brain damage.” In a low-oxygen environment, you can begin to suffer brain damage in as little as four minutes as brain cells begin to die without enough oxygen to supply them. This can be a workplace concern if you are repeatedly placed in situations with high concentrations of fumes or particulates that limit oxygen saturation in the air, yet you are not provided with protective respiratory equipment.
Other situations leading to hypoxia and anoxic brain damage can include heart attack, stroke or blood clot blocking oxygen flow to the brain. You may also suffer from insufficient oxygen when suffocating or drowning, as objects or water block your airways and do not allow you to inhale enough oxygen to sustain your brain cells. Another situation could involve malfunctioning equipment at home or in the workplace, such as poorly maintained vehicles leaking carbon monoxide into a closed environment. Many of these cases may be grounds for pursuit of legal recompense for health and safety hazards, personal injury and pain and suffering.
This blog is meant for informational purposes only and should not be used as legal advice.
