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Contaminated Water Culprit in Maryland Legionnaire’s Outbreak

By injuheis on December 29, 2009

Premises liability is an issue that often isn’t discussed until some sort of problem arises. Properly maintaining building structures and ensuring that all inhabitants and visitors are safe should be the primary concern of building owners everywhere. However, according to the Chicago Tribune, a senior living facility in Maryland that was recently the site of a Legionnaire’s disease outbreak may have a contaminated water source that is causing people to fall ill. Clearly, this is an indication that necessary safety precautions may not have been put into place in order to fully protect residents.

According to the article, the afflicted senior living facility is 10 years old, and stands on the former site of Memorial Stadium. Initially, it was believed that the incident may have been confined to only a few rooms, possibly due to an infected heating and air-conditioning unit (each room has its own such unit), but that theory has become less likely considering that the number of infected individuals increased as time passed. The incident sparked much concern amongst elderly residents, especially considering that building management, usually quick to respond to such incidents, has been relatively lax in dispensing information to worried seniors.

Legionnaire’s disease is an affliction that generally affects individuals that are 65 years of age or older, or those individuals who already have underlying health conditions. In a facility that caters specifically to seniors, one would think that more rigorous safety measures would be taken, or at the very least regular inspections for testing the water would occur to ensure that the water supply has not been tainted in any way. When property owners fail to provide safe living conditions for their tenants, those property owners may be held liable for damages that result if their tenants become afflicted with an ailment that could have been prevented on the part of the property owner.

If you have fallen ill due to Legionnaire’s disease or any other ailment that may have been caused by negligent behavior on the part of another individual or entity, contact Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” for a free evaluation of your case. Personal injury claims should not be ignored, and those responsible for your injuries or illness should be held accountable for their actions. Please call our Legionnaire’s disease attorneys today for a case consultation.

Source:http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/bal-md.hs.legionnaires16oct16,0,7986418.story

Posted in Legionnaire's Disease |

House Explosion Injures Six

By injuheis on December 23, 2009

An explosion at a Greenbrier County home resulted in at least six injuries to West Virginia residents. According to a register-herald.com report, the six individuals sustained injuries that ranged from minor to critical. The accident victims were transported to Greenbrier Valley Medical Center before being stabilized and transferred to other local area hospitals. Further updates on their conditions were unavailable.

Investigators are looking into whether or not more people were injured by the explosion, the cause of which is still unknown to investigators. If negligent action of any sort led to the accident, then the party responsible for said negligence can be held liable for damages resulting from the accident.

In the above mentioned case, if the explosion occurred due to reckless action, then the person responsible for that action may have to pay compensatory damages to individuals that were injured as a result of the accident. Only further investigation will eventually reveal the true cause of the Greenbrier explosion. In all cases of personal injury where an individual or group is responsible for an act that leads to another person’s injury, the party responsible for the act should be held legally responsible for the accident in a court of law. This does not only apply to the state of West Virginia.

If you have suffered personal injury in an explosion in Maryland, please do not hesitate to contact the experienced Maryland burn injury and explosion attorneys at the law office of Steven H. Heisler for a free case evaluation. Our skilled personal injury legal team will examine the circumstances surrounding your accident, will help determine where negligent action played a role and will hold those responsible for your injury accountable for their actions. Call Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” today to ensure that your rights are protected, and that you receive the compensation that your deserve.

Source:http://www.register-herald.com/local/local_story_327123944.html

Posted in Burns & Explosion Injuries |

Emergency Copter Crashes in Prince George County, 4 Killed

By injuheis on December 21, 2009

Once accidents occur, we entrust our well-being into the hands of emergency medical personnel to administer the care we need in order to recover. However, medical personnel aren’t immune to the dangers associated with emergency air transport, as a recent article in the Washington Post illustrates. According to the accident story, a Maryland State police helicopter crashed in Walker Mill Regional Park when the craft’s pilot chose to fly into foggy conditions, and adequate assistance was not provided by air traffic controllers. As a result, the Prince George’s County crash took the lives of four passengers (one of whom was being transported with injuries) and injured another.

It has been determined by the National Transportation Safety Board that the probable cause of the crash was pilot error. However, it has also been determined that weather information relayed to the pilot by air traffic controllers was not current, which certainly could have contributed towards the pilot’s decision to maneuver the craft through foggy conditions.

Ultimately, error on the part of state-run programs that results in injury to others may be deemed negligence on the part of the state, and damages associated with negligent behavior may be deemed the responsibility of the state or other entity responsible for the negligent action.

If you have been injured in an aviation accident, or have lost a loved one as the result of another person’s negligence, please don’t hesitate to contact Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” for a free evaluation of your case. Steven’s experienced attorneys will ensure that your rights are upheld in a court of law. Personal injury claims and cases of wrongful death should not be ignored, and those responsible for such adverse events should be held accountable for their actions. If you’ve sustained injury or lost a loved one, please call our Maryland wrongful death lawyers today.

Source:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/27/AR2009102702111.html?hpid=sec-metro

Posted in Personal Injury, Wrongful Death |

Maryland Seniors at Risk in Legionnaire’s Infected Living Facility

By injuheis on December 18, 2009

According to a Chicago Tribune article, a recent outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease has afflicted residents at a Maryland senior living facility and sparked concern amongst others. Reportedly, one person has already succumbed to the disease, while four others remain afflicted. A current investigation into the cause of the outbreak is underway, with officials from both the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Baltimore Health Department interviewing residents and testing the facility’s water source.

Legionnaire’s disease is a form of bacterial pneumonia that is caused by Legionella bacteria, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), is often found in water sources such as hot tubs and air-conditioning cooling towers. Air-conditioning and plumbing systems are breeding grounds for the bacteria, and it is the responsibility of facilities catering to residents and visitors to ensure that such systems are in proper working order and are not harboring the airborne bacteria. Legionnaire’s disease is spread when a person inhales contaminated water droplets, and it cannot be spread from person to person.

Outbreaks of disease in any location where people are in close proximity to one another is always cause for concern. However, when a disease isn’t even spread via human interaction, but through some other more preventable component, it becomes the responsibility of the individual or entity in charge of said component to take the necessary action in order to correct the problem. Negligent behavior and failure to act should never be an excuse for another person’s pain and suffering.

If you have fallen ill due to Legionnaire’s disease or any other ailment that may have been caused by negligent behavior on the part of another person, don’t hesitate to contact Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” for a free evaluation of your case. As an experienced Legionnaire’s disease lawyer, Steven H. Heisler will ensure that your rights are upheld at all times. Personal injury claims should not be ignored, and those responsible for your injuries or illness should be held accountable for their actions. Please call us today for a case consultation.