TribLive is reporting, based on recently filed court documents, that the Department of Veterans Affairs has settled three more Legionnaires disease claims stemming from the outbreak at its Pittsburgh facility. While no details were provided on the specific settlements of each claim, a federal mediator has filed reports saying that the claims have been resolved […]
VA Volunteer Settles Legionnaires Lawsuit
Not long ago a VA volunteer at the Pittsburgh VA contracted Legionnaires’ disease, and the government argued he was not able to sue for damages because he was not technically an “employee” and could not claim a work-related injury under federal workers’ compensation laws. We discussed some of the legal issues and possible remedies in […]
VA Mislead Veterans During Legionnaires Disease Outbreak
Mike Wereschagin in a recent article on TribLIVE, chronicles the shocking response to the Legionnaires disease outbreak by the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital that we’ve been following on this site for some time. According to the in-depth article, there were multiple instances where the VA chose not to disclose to patients with pneumonia-like symptoms […]
How Common is Legionnaires Disease?
In Alabama alone there were 41 cases of Legionnaires’ disease reported in 2013, and 18 more so far this year (Source: article in AL.com) Legionnaires By The Numbers It is important to note that not all instances of the disease result in death. Less than 20 percent of cases result in death. OSHA estimates that there are over […]
Legionnaires Disease Contracted From Hotel Fountain, Hotel Being Sued
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, another lawsuit has been filed against JW Mariott in Chicago, stemming from a 2012 Legionnaires disease outbreak. The papers filed in the lawsuit claim that this is the sixth claim against the hotel related to this specific outbreak, and says that the plaintiff contracted the Legionnaires disease from the fountain in the […]
Family of Legionnaires Victim Receives $227,500 Settlement
The family of Legionnaires Disease victim, John Ciarolla, has reached a settlement of $227,500 with the federal government in their wrongful-death lawsuit against the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to the Tribute-Review. The settlement, reached in April, must still be approved by U.S. District Judge Arther Schwab. In a rash of Legionnaires outbreaks at the […]
New Study: Legionnaires Can Breed in Windshield Washer Fluid
Previous studies have showed a connection between Legionnaires’ disease and riding in cars. However, little was understood about how or why that was possible. According to Bloomberg, a recent study in Arizona, released by the American Society for Microbiology, says that the washer fluid found in vehicles has the traits to breed and expose the […]
Two Cases of Legionnaires’ Disease, Confirmed Months Apart, at Senior Housing Facility
The Washington Post is reporting that two cases of Legionnaires’ Disease have been confirmed by the Baltimore health officials at a senior living facility. What is disturbing is, according to the report, the first case was reported in March, and now a second one last week. This raises a serious concern about what was done […]
Another Veteran Sues US Department of Veterans Affairs After Contracting Legionnaires’ Disease
There has been flurry of lawsuits against the federal government as a result of a 2011 Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at the University Drive location in Oakland, Pennsylvania. Reverend Gerald Caskey is the latest to file suit alleging that he contracted the disease while visiting the hospital to pick up […]
Legionnaires’ Disease Contracted From Hosptial Ice Machine
According to recent news reports, multiple patients at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, have contracted Legionnaires’ Disease from the ice in an ice machine. One patient has died, while two others have fallen ill from the Legionella bacteria. After one patient contacted Legionnaires’ Disease, the hospital tested the water system, but found no indication of […]
