Many people do not recognize the term "Legionnaire's Disease," but each year this illness puts as many as 18,000 Americans in the hospital. The disease is often associated with hotels, cruise ships, convention centers, and hospitals with old or poorly maintained pipes and cooling systems.
If you have fallen ill from Legionnaire’s Disease in Florida, you may have a legal claim for money damages. Immediately contact the experienced West Palm Beach attorneys of Gordon & Doner, P.A. at 1-800-659-1159 to discuss your case, for free. We represent clients in West Palm Beach, Martin County, Stuart, Pembroke Pines, Miami and throughout Florida.
Legionnaire’s Disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumophila, a bacterium first discovered in 1976 during an outbreak of pneumonia at an American Legion convention. Legionnaire’s Disease can be very serious. It causes death in up to 30 percent of all cases, although most cases are successfully treated with antibiotics.
People most at risk of getting sick from the bacteria are older people (usually 65 years of age or older), as well as people who are smokers, or those who have a chronic lung disease (such as emphysema) or a weak immune system.
The Legionella pneumophila bacteria are found naturally in the environment, usually in warm water. Legionnaire’s Disease is usually contracted by breathing in mist from water that contains the bacteria. Thus, the bacteria are spread primarily by water and not from one person to another person.
Water droplets that remain suspended in the air often occur in poorly ventilated areas. If these droplets contain bacteria and are inhaled, they will infect anyone not immune to the strand of bacteria.
Potential sources of contaminated water include cooling towers used in industrial cooling water systems as well as in large central air conditioning systems, evaporative coolers, hot water systems, showers, whirlpool spas, architectural fountains, room-air humidifiers, ice making machines, and misting equipment. The disease may also be spread in a hot tub if the filtering system is defective.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Legionnaire’s Disease can have symptoms like many other forms of pneumonia, so it can be hard to diagnose. Signs of the disease include fever, chills, a cough and sometimes muscle aches and headaches. These symptoms usually begin 2 to 14 days after being exposed to the bacteria. Chest X-rays and lab tests are needed for a proper diagnosis.
A less-serious form of Legionnaire’s Disease is known as Pontiac Fever and has similar symptoms, which go away on their own without treatment. Pontiac Fever and Legionnaire’s Disease may also be called "Legionellosis," separately or together.
Outbreaks occur when two or more people become ill in the same place at about the same time. Facilities that fail to properly maintain their heating and cooling systems can be held liable when a Legionnaire’s Disease outbreak occurs.
If you have reason to believe you were exposed to the bacteria that causes Legionnaire’s Disease, talk to your doctor or local health department. You should also consider seeking legal representation. A successful Legionnaire’s Disease lawsuit can produce significant compensation for the costs of treating your illness and any long-lasting effects that result.
The attorneys of Gordon & Doner, P.A., are experienced in the representation of personal injury cases, including those related to Legionnaire's Disease. Please complete our online contact form or call us toll free at 1-800-659-1159 to discuss your case and the unique issues that surround your injury. We will fight to ensure that you receive the compensation you and your family deserve.
