Legionnaires' Disease Victims File Lawsuits Over Bronx Legionella Outbreak

Lange Law Firm, Harford, P.C.: Victims infected through airborne transmission, never entered building that was source

NEW YORK, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Two people who contracted Legionnaires' disease in a May Legionnaires' disease outbreak in the Bronx have filed suit against the owners of a building that was identified as the source of the bacteria.

That outbreak killed two people and led to the hospitalization of 28 others. The two plaintiffs in this lawsuit required lengthy hospitalizations, ongoing inpatient rehabilitation, and each suffered permanent injuries.

"It's scary enough to get Legionnaires' disease. It's worse to think our clients got it through the air. They were infected without even stepping foot in the building that caused this," said Jory Lange of the Lange Law Firm, who along with attorney Scott Harford of Harford, P.C. represents the victims. "We're concerned there could be even more infections involving people who have just assumed it was some other illness and never got tested."

According to the lawsuit, investigators believe the source of the infection was the Jerome Avenue Residences in the Highbridge neighborhood. The filing says its owners failed to perform basic maintenance of the building's water-cooling system to prevent the spread of the deadly bacteria. The mixed-use building, which includes apartments and a charter school, is less than two years old.

Legionnaires' disease is a rare form of pneumonia transmitted by breathing water vapors contaminated with legionella bacteria. It is not spread person-to-person. Among the factors that make this outbreak especially concerning:

• The disease is airborne and can affect people who live, work, walk, and travel within several blocks from the source of the bacteria. 
• Many of the common symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, fever, headache, and muscle aches) can be mistaken for the flu or COVID 19.

About the legal team:

Jory Lange with The Lange Law Firm, PLLC is one of the leading lawyers specializing in food and water safety, successfully representing clients across the United States in cases ranging from Salmonella and E. coli-related illnesses to outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease.

Harford, P.C. is a law firm dedicated to helping individuals injured by defective drugs, consumer products, and toxic chemicals. The firm's founding attorney, Scott A. Harford, is an accomplished personal injury plaintiffs' attorney licensed to practice in New York and New Jersey.

Media Contact:
April Arias
800-559-4534
april@androvett.com

SOURCE The Lange Law Firm, PLLC

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