Two residents of St. John’s Lutheran Community in Albert Lea, Minnesota, have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease in 2026, according to a November 12 report on Legionnaires’ disease cases and water restrictions at St. John’s. The first case was identified in July, and two cases had been reported by November 2. St. John’s said testing found Legionella, the bacteria that cause the illness, in portions of its water system.
A serious infection can leave an older adult needing hospital treatment, rehabilitation, or additional daily care. Pritzker Hageman’s Legionnaires’ disease lawyers represent people harmed by contaminated water and help families pursue accountability and compensation when negligence caused an illness. If your loved one was diagnosed after living at or visiting St. John’s, our legal team can review the circumstances in a free consultation.
Were you or a loved one sickened by Legionnaires’ Disease?
What Is Known About the St. John’s Legionnaires’ Disease Cases?
The November 12 reporting describes two resident diagnoses, positive water samples, and expanded precautions at St. John’s. The community’s Fountain Lake campus offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing.
According to the reporting, St. John’s has restricted certain water uses, provided bottled water, and expanded sampling while working with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and a water management consultant. The reported restrictions involve showers, hand sprayers, and ice machines. Additional disinfection was being planned.
St. John’s says it has maintained a water management program since 2018. Evaluating that program requires examining how it was carried out and whether it controlled the conditions that allow Legionella to grow. The reporting reviewed for this article does not identify a confirmed exposure source for either resident’s infection.
Earlier Legionnaires’ Disease Cases at St. John’s in Albert Lea
St. John’s Fountain Lake Community also had Legionnaires’ disease cases in 2018 and 2019. An October 2019 MDH health advisory about St. John’s Fountain Lake Community documented five cases among residents and visitors in 2018, another case in April 2019, and a resident whose symptoms began September 26, 2019.
The facility’s response to the April 2019 Legionnaires’ disease case at St. John’s and the additional case reported in October 2019 included water restrictions, testing, treatment, and changes to the water system.
A legal investigation can examine whether the corrective work addressed conditions that allowed Legionella to grow, whether subsequent testing detected the bacteria, and how the facility responded to those results. Maintenance records, laboratory reports, and communications with consultants and health officials can help establish what the facility knew about contamination risks and what steps it took to protect residents.
How Does Legionnaires’ Disease Spread in Senior Living Facilities?
Legionnaires’ disease is a serious form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. People usually become infected by breathing tiny water droplets containing the bacteria. Showerheads, faucets, and other parts of a building’s plumbing can expose people when contaminated water becomes mist.
Adults age 50 and older, current and former smokers, and people with chronic lung disease or weakened immune systems face a higher risk of infection. Preventing bacterial growth in water systems is especially important in facilities serving these residents. Effective water management plans to prevent Legionnaires’ disease address water temperatures, disinfectant levels, stagnant water, and corrective action when problems arise.
What Symptoms Should Families Watch For?
Legionnaires’ disease symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath, headaches, and muscle aches. Confusion, diarrhea, or nausea can also occur. Symptoms usually begin two to 14 days after exposure, although they can develop later.
If a resident or recent visitor develops symptoms of pneumonia, seek medical care promptly and tell the clinician about time spent at St. John’s and the reported Legionella findings. Symptoms alone cannot distinguish Legionnaires’ disease from other types of pneumonia. Specific laboratory testing is needed, and the illness requires antibiotic treatment.
Can a Resident Sue a Senior Living Facility for Legionnaires’ Disease?
Yes. A resident can pursue a Legionnaires’ disease lawsuit when evidence establishes that negligent water management or another failure caused exposure to Legionella and resulting illness. A facility operator, property owner, management company, or contractor responsible for relevant water system work could be liable.
Our attorneys investigate the source of a Legionella infection using the evidence available in each case. Medical records, exposure histories, public health findings, and water system maintenance records can help establish where exposure occurred and who is responsible when determining liability for a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak.
A successful claim can provide compensation for Legionnaires’ disease injuries, including medical expenses, rehabilitation, additional care needs, pain and suffering, and other losses supported by the evidence. Retirement does not eliminate a resident’s right to compensation. If a preventable infection causes a death, our attorneys can evaluate a Legionnaires’ disease wrongful death claim for the family.
How Do Lawyers Investigate Legionnaires’ Disease at a Care Facility?
A legal investigation examines the resident’s medical evidence alongside the facility’s water system and maintenance history. Important records can include:
- Medical records, Legionella test results, symptom onset, and the course of treatment.
- The resident’s room, unit, activities, and other locations visited before becoming ill.
- Water sampling locations, collection dates, laboratory methods, and complete results.
- Water management plans, temperature and disinfectant logs, flushing records, and maintenance reports.
- Earlier positive tests, consultant recommendations, corrective work, and follow-up testing.
- Facility notices and communications with public health agencies.
Pritzker Hageman’s attorneys investigate Legionnaires’ disease cases at nursing homes and healthcare facilities to identify the source of exposure and responsible parties. We examine the facility’s water management practices, its response to earlier illnesses or contamination, and whether failures in maintenance or prevention contributed to a resident’s infection. You do not need to investigate the facility or obtain its internal records before contacting us. Our legal team gathers evidence, identifies responsible parties, and builds the case for accountability and compensation.
What Should Families Do After a Legionnaires’ Disease Diagnosis?
After a loved one is diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, follow medical advice, document the illness, preserve relevant records, and contact a lawyer to protect their legal rights.
- Follow care instructions. Follow the treating clinician’s advice and the facility’s current written water-use restrictions.
- Save relevant records. Keep medical test results, facility notices, treatment bills, and records of rehabilitation or additional care needs.
- Document the timeline. Write down when symptoms began, when the diagnosis was made, and where your loved one spent time before becoming ill.
- Seek legal representation. Contact a Legionnaires’ disease lawyer to investigate the exposure and preserve evidence after a Legionnaires’ disease diagnosis. You do not need to obtain the facility’s internal records before contacting an attorney.
Talk With Pritzker Hageman About Your Loved One’s Illness
Pritzker Hageman represents people with serious Legionnaires’ disease injuries and families who have lost loved ones. Our results include a $2.5 million recovery for a client sickened by contaminated water at a senior care facility.
If your loved one was diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease after living at or visiting St. John’s in Albert Lea, call 1-888-377-8900, text 612-261-0856, or request a free consultation about a senior living Legionnaires’ disease case. Our attorneys can evaluate the evidence and explain your family’s options for pursuing compensation and accountability.
Contact Eric today and find out how you can get compensation and justice
1-888-377-8900 (Toll-Free) | [email protected]
Questions About Legal Help After Legionnaires’ Disease
Yes. You can contact Pritzker Hageman to discuss a loved one’s diagnosis and the circumstances of a possible exposure. Our attorneys can explain what authorization is needed to obtain medical records or pursue a claim on that person’s behalf.
No. An existing illness does not automatically prevent a claim. The investigation must establish how the Legionella infection harmed the resident, including whether it worsened an existing condition or created new treatment and care needs. Medical records and expert analysis help distinguish those effects.
The statute of limitations deadline depends on the type of claim, the parties involved, and the relevant dates. Different rules can apply to negligence and wrongful death cases. Have an attorney evaluate the deadline for your family’s circumstances rather than relying on a general time limit. Early review also helps preserve evidence.
Pritzker Hageman offers free consultations and handles Legionnaires’ disease cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay no legal fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Additional Information About Legionnaires’ Disease
- Legionnaires’ Disease Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Where Does Legionnaires’ Disease Come From?
- Legionnaires’ Disease: Symptoms and Diagnosis
- What to do if You Contract Legionnaires’ Disease
- Legionnaires’ Disease: Determining Liability
- Legionnaires’ Disease: Lawsuits and Compensation
- Legionnaires’ Disease: Wrongful Death Cases
- Finding a Legionnaires’ Disease Lawyer
- Filing a Legionnaires’ Disease Lawsuit
- The Importance of Water Management Plans
We have obtained 100+ separate verdicts and settlements greater than $1 million:
We obtained this result on behalf of three people sickened in a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at a resort hotel.
We obtained this settlement on behalf of six people impacted by a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak linked to a hotel hot tub.
Our client contracted Legionnaires’ disease at a hotel and was hospitalized for eight weeks.
We obtained this settlement on behalf of the family of a woman who died after contracting Legionnaires’ Disease.
We obtained this result on behalf of clients who contracted Legionnaires’ disease from a hotel HVAC cooling tower.
On behalf of a client sicked from contaminated water at a senior care facility.
Our client contracted Legionnaires’ disease at a hotel and was hospitalized for over a month.
On behalf of a women hospitalized for over two months from a contaminated hotel hot tub in Myrtle Beach.
We obtained this settlement for a woman sickened with Legionnaires’ disease after being exposed in a hotel hot tub.
We obtained this settlement for the family of a 52-year old man who died of Legionnaires’ disease linked to a hotel.
We collected this on behalf of a client who contracted Legionnaires’ disease from contaminated water at a hotel.
We recovered this settlement for the family of a 50-year old man who died of Legionnaires’ disease after being exposed to legionella bacteria at a hotel.
Collected on behalf of the family of a man who died as a result of Legionnaires’ Disease contracted while staying at a Wisconsin resort.
We obtained this on behalf of a man hospitalized after Legionella bacteria exposure at a hotel.
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