Victim of Legionnaires’ Disease Files Lawsuit against Maryland Hotel

April 30, 2012 - PRLog -- Last October, The Baltimore Sun reported that three people had been hospitalized for Legionnaires’ disease.  The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced the illnesses, which occurred after the individuals stayed at an Ocean City hotel.

The hotel was later closed for several days to perform tests on the water systems to try and locate the bacteria that cause the disease.  Earlier this month, it was reported that one of those who contracted Legionnaires’ disease while staying at the hotel has filed a lawsuit against the hotel.

The lawsuit seeks damages of $6 million dollars, $5 million for negligence and $1 million for loss of consortium.  The Virginia resident who filed the claim reportedly spent 6 weeks in the hospital suffering a number of severe medical conditions and that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills.

Each year, between 8,000 and 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires' disease in the U.S. It is believed that many infections are not diagnosed or reported, so this number may be significantly higher. More cases are usually found in the summer and early fall, but it can occur any time of year.  On average, the state of Maryland sees 100 to 130 cases annually.

“Legionnaires' disease is caused by Legionella bacteria,” reported Susan White, Ph.D., CMC, President of Sussex Environmental Health Consultants (SEHC), a leading Mid-Atlantic indoor air quality (IAQ) and infection control consulting firm.     “Legionella bacteria can sometimes be found in manmade environments that contain warm water.  These may include hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems, or parts of the air-conditioning systems in large buildings.  Proactive testing for Legionella can help prevent outbreaks of the disease.  If an outbreak has occurred, testing for the bacteria can pinpoint sources of the potentially deadly pathogen to prevent further illnesses,” she continued.

SEHC recently sponsored an educational video about Legionnaire’s disease and Legionella bacteria that can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB7g81JxCq0



To learn more about preventing infectious microbial pathogens, or other environmental and IAQ issues, please visit http://www.sussexenvironmental.com, email susan.white@mchsi.com or call (302) 947-1810.
 
About Sussex Environmental Health Consultants, LLC
SEHC is a certified woman owned business that provides environmental and health and safety consulting services.  The company is located in the Mid-Atlantic and services customers nationwide.  SEHC provides solutions to clients ranging from homeowners to international Fortune 500 Corporations.