Legionnaires’ disease has more than tripled within the twenty-first century, and in many cases still goes undiagnosed. Recently, outbreaks have occurred in hotels, office buildings, healthcare facilities, and hospitals as a waterborne pathogen that has been exposed to the bacteria, Legionella pneumophila. The illness becomes infectious if you breathe in bits of water vapor that contain the bacteria. The presence of Legionella has increased throughout various workplaces, and with it, the number of claims filed. You deserve to know how to recognize the disease, avoid it in the future, and feel prepared with lawyers that care. Keches Law Group wants to defend the people in court and bring them justice for their damages.
People at Risk
People don’t contract the disease from solely being exposed to it. Most are able to combat it with their immune system. However, there are some groups of people who are more susceptible to the disease — namely; people over fifty years old, current or former smokers, and people with underlying illnesses or a weakened immune system. If you fall under one of these categories, it’s important to remain aware of your health and the appropriate functioning of your lungs.
Legionnaires’ is hard to differentiate from other types of pneumonia. After initial exposure, it takes 2-18 days for the disease to become active and show signs of presence. Its symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, fever, headaches and muscle aches. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms listed, and you have cause to believe you’ve been exposed to Legionnaires’ disease, seek medical help immediately and then contact Keches Law Group to see if you’re eligible for compensation.
How we can help
First, you’ll need to show that you’ve contracted the disease. A urinary antigen test is the most common way to diagnose Legionnaires’, and as long as the patient has pneumonia and tests positive, he/she is considered to have Legionnaires’. Next, it’s important to find out where you could have been exposed to the bacteria. If the bacteria is present in the environment, there’s a reason to believe it’s due to someone else’s negligence. Only under these conditions, you’ll have the opportunity to file a claim. However, if you are involved in an outbreak, you’re considered as a case-patient which is divided into three cases; confirmed cases, suspect cases, and Pontiac Fever cases.
After legionella is found present, health professionals are responsible for investigations of the antibodies to specific antigens in populations or individuals. Sometimes, this investigation is done correctly. Then, an environmental investigation takes place — maintenance, water quality, and cleaning is scrutinized, and a failure to remove the specified bacteria in these instances has become common. Without appropriate maintenance, the owner is presumably at fault.
We hope that all can avoid exposure and infection, but if you are in the midst of coping, we will stand behind you to get the justice you deserve.
If you suspect Legionnaires’ has caused harm to your loved one and was brought on by negligence, contact us. Our lawyers have the willingness to listen and the resources to investigate.
