Pritzker Hageman law firm is investigating a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Minneapolis. Our Legionnaires’ disease lawyers have offices in Minneapolis and have won millions for clients.
Free Legionnaires’ Disease Case Evaluation and Attorney Consultation
Anyone who has been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, also called legionellosis, can contact our law firm and talk with a lawyer for free. You can call 612-338-0202 or use the form below.
Our law firm is one of the few in the United States that has successfully handled these kinds of cases. We understand the science behind winning Legionnaires’ disease lawsuits, and we have extensive experience negotiating settlements with building owners and insurance companies. We recently obtained a $3 million settlement from a hotel chain.
South Minneapolis Outbreak Looks for Sources of Legionella Bacteria
According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), there are four people with confirmed cases, all of whom live close to each other in South Minneapolis. The dates of onset of illness range from December 2017 to February 2018.
The source of this outbreak is a building in South Minneapolis, and the investigation is gathering information to determine this source. Legionnaires’ disease is a form of pneumonia caused by breathing in water mist contaminated with Legionella bacteria. Water samples are obtained from building water systems, including cooling towers, and tested in special labs, with the results taking a about two weeks.
Cooling towers use water, and it is well documented that this water can become contaminated with Legionella bacteria. Because of this, building owners are required to take preventative steps to prevent outbreaks, including periodic testing for the presence of this bacterial pathogen.
If You Have Pneumonia But Have Not Been Diagnosed with Legionnaires’ Disease
If you have pneumonia and live or work in South Minneapolis, you should make sure that the hospital does a Legionella urinary antigen test and gets lower respiratory specimens for additional testing. If you have not been diagnosed with pneumonia but have the following symptoms, you should contact a doctor immediately:
- fever
- muscle aches
- chills
- shortness of breath
- headache
- fatigue
- loss of appetite
- coughing
- upset stomach.
You should know that people over 50 are at the highest risk for Legionnaires’ disease, as are people of any age with underlying health conditions, including lung disease, smoking, diabetes, HIV and any other condition that suppresses the immune system.
If you have any questions, contact our Minneapolis law firm at 612-338-0202 and ask to speak with one of the following lawyers: Fred Pritzker, Eric Hageman, or David Coyle.