A Tennessee man has filed a $2 million lawsuit against a Memphis fitness center linked to cases of Legionnaires’ disease. The negligence complaint was filed in Shelby County Circuit Court on behalf of 44-year-old Jerome Walsh, who was hospitalized from June 11 to 14 after falling ill and being diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease. The lawsuit alleges that the 24-Hour Fitness USA health club in east Memphis, Tennessee allowed the bacterial infection to grow, infecting Walsh and at least two others who reportedly contracted the disease sometime between May 21 and June 21. If you have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease or another serious medical condition allegedly caused by the negligence of another person or party in Tennessee, consult our qualified lawyers at Michael D. Ponce & Associates for legal help.
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by bacteria, and the disease is contracted when a person breathes mist or vapor carrying the bacteria. The mist may come from showers, hot tubs, or air-conditioning units for large buildings, and, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the disease cannot be transmitted directly from one person to another. “Legionnaires’ is a bacteria and it flourishes in warm water, stagnant water, unsterile water,” said Jerome Walsh’s attorney. “If this facility had just gone through the routine, this disease wouldn’t have survived. Obviously somebody didn’t clean the whirlpool.”
The Health Department launched an investigation into the Tennessee health club after receiving a complaint from a victim’s family member. The department inspected the center on June 18 and also had a third party firm come in to test the problem areas, which remain closed. According to Robin Rootenberg, a spokesperson for the fitness club’s corporate office in California, the facility was maintained in accordance with industry standards and cleaned with industry-standard chemicals. “Our inspection and testing is ongoing,” Rootenberg said in an email. “In cooperation with the health department, we have engaged an environmental remediation firm approved by the health department, to conduct further testing and to complete any necessary remediation.”
Every year, an estimated 8,000 to 18,000 people in the United States are hospitalized after contracting Legionnaires’ disease, which can be prevented by proper maintenance of water systems, according to the CDC. If you have suffered from Legionnaires’ disease or another life-threatening medical condition in Tennessee, and you believe another person or party to be at fault, contact our reputable attorneys at Michael D. Ponce & Associates to discuss your legal options. You may have grounds to file a lawsuit against the allegedly negligent person or party, in order to pursue financial compensation for your medical expenses and pain and suffering.
Source: http://www.wbbjtv.com/news/regional/Lawsuit-filed-in-Legionnaires-disease-case-216099941.html