Legionnaires' Disease

Alabama Legionnaires’ Disease Attorneys

Dedicated Legal Care You Can Trust

Recent outbreaks of Legionnaires’ Disease have left many individuals in need of legal assistance. If you or a family member have been affected by Legionnaires’ Disease it’s time to take legal action and call Morris Haynes Attorneys at Law. Our Legionnaires’ Disease lawyers in Alabama have successfully represented many individuals who have been injured or killed by this disease.

Call us at (205) 973-6915 to schedule a free initial consultation with a member of our team.

Cases Involving Legionnaires’ Disease

Legionnaires’ Disease is acute pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria that can exist in dirty or stagnant water. People can contract Legionnaires’ Disease by breathing in a mist or vapor (small droplets of water in the air) that has been contaminated with the bacteria. According to the Centers for Disease Control, between 8,000 and 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires’ Disease in the U.S. each year.

However, many infections are not diagnosed or reported, so this number may be higher. Legionnaires’ Disease can first present itself with flu-like symptoms, but these symptoms can get increasingly worse and eventually be fatal.

The bacteria that cause Legionnaires’ Disease grow best in warm water and appear in environments such as hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems, or parts of the air-conditioning systems of large buildings.

While the Legionella bacteria are found naturally in the environment, their presence can be the result of a failure to properly clean and maintain the object which contains the warm water. In situations where this is the case, it is the negligence of others that allows the bacteria to be present and puts the public at risk for contamination.

Take, for example, the case of two men who were sent by their employer, the Jefferson County Commission, to Heflin, Alabama to assist with a debris removal project following a tornado in the area and were staying at the Wingate Inn during this project. While staying at the Wingate Inn, the men used the hotel’s hot tub which is provided for use by hotel guests.

As a result of the use of this hot tub, both men developed Legionnaire’s disease and had to be hospitalized. Both men were hospitalized in Intensive Care Units where they were placed on respirators. A jury ruled that the men contracted the disease and sustained the resulting injuries as a result of the negligence of hotel ownership and management to properly clean and maintain the hot tub and awarded the men a combined verdict of $4.5 million.

When a person suffers, is injured, or is killed as a result of the negligence of others, that person has a legal claim against the negligent party. In cases where that negligence leads to the contraction of Legionnaires’ Disease, there are particular actions and investigations that need to be undertaken and you need a lawyer who has handled such cases and is experienced in this specialized area of the law.

Our track record regarding Legionnaires’ Disease contraction cases has earned our firm the respect of many opposing attorneys and a reputation for providing excellent representation. Wrongful death and personal injury cases are very expensive.

Morris Haynes Attorneys at Law has the resources necessary to pursue a valid Legionnaires’ contraction claim to completion, even against the largest corporations. If you would like to contact our expert attorneys about a possible Legionnaires’ Disease contraction case.

Remember that each case is tried on its own merits and that a successful result in one case does not guarantee a successful result in your case.

Affected By Legionnaires’ Disease? Give Us a Call Today!

If your family has been affected by Legionnaires’ Disease, our team at Morris Haynes wants you to know that you might be entitled to compensation. Therefore, it is important to act fast on your legal case when a diagnosis of Legionnaires’ Disease comes into play.

Your Legionnaires’ Disease Case

Legionnaires’ Disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by bacteria, which is usually breathed in through mist from water.

The mist can come from sources like:

  • Hot tubs
  • Showers
  • Air-conditioning units (i.e., cooling towers)

Since this disease is caused by water contamination, you might have a legal case when it comes to your Legionnaires’ Disease diagnosis.

Upon initial consultation, our team at Morris Haynes Attorneys at Law will ask a number of questions to better understand your Legionnaires’ Disease case, such as:

  • Do you have a positive test for Legionnaires’ Disease?
  • Did they perform a urinalysis?
  • Were you hospitalized?
  • Where were you when you started feeling sick? Where were you during a 10-day period prior to feeling sick?
  • Did you experience flu-like symptoms?

If, after further review of these frequently asked questions, the Morris Haynes Attorneys at Law team decides that you have a legal case, we will move forward with filing a Complaint, starting the legal proceedings, and working to get you the compensation you deserve.

Our Experienced Team of Attorneys are Ready to Work with You

If you think you or a loved one has been contaminated by Legionella bacteria, then seek medical assistance immediately.

Our Alabama Legionnaires’ Disease attorneys at Morris Haynes Attorneys at Law have:

  • Successfully represented clients across the country
  • Won millions of dollars for families affected by Legionnaires’ Disease
  • Represented clients throughout the United States in Legionnaires’ cases

We offer free legal consultations to discuss your potential case, and at Morris Haynes Attorneys at Law, there are no legal fees unless we win. There’s nothing to lose – contact our team to schedule your free consultation today.

FAQ

Legionnaires’ Disease
  • Q:What is Legionnaires’ Disease?

    A:Legionnaires’ Disease (LEE-juh-nares) is caused by a type of bacteria called Legionella. The bacteria got its name in 1976, when many people who went to a Philadelphia convention of the American Legion suffered from an outbreak of this disease, a type of pneumonia (lung infection). Although this type of bacteria was around before1976, more illness from Legionnaires’ Disease is being detected now. This is because we are now looking for this disease whenever a patient has pneumonia. Each year, between 8,000 and 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires’ Disease in the U.S. However, many infections are not diagnosed or reported, so this number may be higher. More illness is usually found in the summer and early fall, but it can happen any time of year.

  • Q:Where are the most common places to get Legionnaires’ Disease?

    A:Legionella bacteria thrive in warm water and warm damp places. It can be found in improperly maintained showers, hot tubs, hotel pools, spas, fountains, cruise ships, air conditioning units, building water systems, and cooling towers. The bacteria spread through contaminated water vapor or mist, so you can be infected even if you are not immediately around these sources.

  • Q:What are the symptoms of Legionnaires’ Disease?

    A:Legionnaires’ Disease can have symptoms like many other forms of pneumonia, so it can be hard to diagnose at first. Signs of the disease can include a high fever, chills, and a cough. Some people may also suffer from muscle aches and headaches. Chest X-rays are needed to find pneumonia caused by the bacteria, and other tests can be done on sputum (phlegm), as well as blood or urine to find evidence of the bacteria in the body. These symptoms usually begin 2 to 14 days after being exposed to the bacteria. A milder infection caused by the same type of Legionella bacteria is called Pontiac Fever. The symptoms of Pontiac Fever usually last for 2 to 5 days and may also include fever, headaches, and muscle aches; however, there is no pneumonia. Symptoms go away on their own without treatment and without causing further problems. Pontiac Fever and Legionnaires’ Disease may also be called “Legionellosis” (LEE-juh-nuh-low-sis) separately or together.

  • Q:How serious is Legionnaires’ Disease? What is the treatment?

    A:Legionnaires’ Disease can be very serious and can cause death in up to 5% to 30% of cases. Most cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics (drugs that kill bacteria in the body), and healthy people usually recover from infection.

  • Q:Where do Legionella bacteria come from?

    A:The Legionella bacteria are found naturally in the environment, usually in water. The bacteria grow best in warm water, like the kind found in hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems, or parts of the air-conditioning systems of large buildings. They do not seem to grow in car or window air-conditioners.

  • Q:How do people get Legionnaires’ Disease?

    A:People get Legionnaires’ Disease when they breathe in a mist or vapor (small droplets of water in the air) that has been contaminated with the bacteria. One example might be from breathing in the steam from a whirlpool spa that has not been properly cleaned and disinfected. The bacteria are NOT spread from one person to another person. Outbreaks are when two or more people become ill in the same place at about the same time, such as patients in hospitals. Hospital buildings have complex water systems, and many people in hospitals already have illnesses that increase their risk for Legionella infection. Other outbreaks have been linked to aerosol sources in the community, or with cruise ships and hotels, with the most likely sources being whirlpool spas, cooling towers (air-conditioning units from large buildings), and water used for drinking and bathing.

  • Q:Who gets this disease?

    A: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 (like emphysema). People who have weak immune systems from diseases like cancer, diabetes, or kidney failure are also more likely to get sick from Legionella bacteria. People who take drugs to suppress (weaken) the immune system (like after a transplant operation or chemotherapy) are also at higher risk.

  • Q:What should I do if I think I was exposed to Legionella bacteria?

    A:Most people exposed to the bacteria do not become ill. If you have reason to believe you were exposed to the bacteria, talk to your doctor or local health department. Be sure to mention if you have traveled in the last two weeks. A person diagnosed with Legionnaires’ Disease in the workplace is not a threat to others who share office space or other areas with him or her. However, if you believe that there your workplace was the source of the person’s illness, contact your local health department.

  • Q:How is Legionnaires’ Disease diagnosed?

    A:Most people with Legionnaires’ Disease will have pneumonia (lung infection) since the Legionella bacteria grow and thrive in the lungs. Pneumonia is confirmed either by chest x-ray or clinical diagnosis. Several laboratory tests can be used to detect the Legionella bacteria within the body. The most commonly used laboratory test for diagnosis is the urinary antigen test, which detects Legionella bacteria from a urine specimen, or sample. If the patient has pneumonia and the test is positive, then the patient is considered to have Legionnaires’ Disease. Additionally, if the Legionella bacteria are cultured (isolated and grown on a special media) from a lung biopsy specimen, respiratory secretions, or various other sites, the diagnosis of Legionnaires’ Disease is also considered confirmed. Finally, paired sera (blood specimens) that show a specific increase in antibody levels when drawn shortly after illness and several weeks following recovery, can also be used to confirm the diagnosis.

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