Maryland Personal Injury Blog

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 |