New Legionnaires' disease cases at Jules Zacher, PC

Jules Zacher was recently retained to represent one of the victims of the Legionnaires' disease outbreak at IU Health University Hospital in Indianapolis, IN.   He was also retained for three cases involving the outbreak at the Integrated Health Campus in Allentown, PA that sickened at least 8 patients or visitors of the health facility.

Jules Zacher is an attorney at law who has been practicing for over 35 years.  He is known across the country for his experience with Legionnaires’ disease cases and has been recommended numerous times by both clients and other attorneys.

He has had success representing victims of Legionnaires’ disease in federal and state courts across the country and is currently working on numerous cases in Hawaii, California, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

Legionnaires’ disease lawsuits at VA Pittsburgh hospitals settled

Families of VA Pittsburgh patients who had contracted Legionnaires’ disease are relieved that a settlement has been reached in the lawsuit against the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.  They remain frustrated, however, that VA personnel will not be held accountable for the outbreak which included at least 22 illnesses and 6 deaths.

“I’m relieved it’s over, but it’s not nearly what they deserved,” said Debbie Balawejder whose father was 85-year-old Frank “Sonny” Calcagno, who died Nov. 22, 2011 due to Legionnaires’ disease.

“To me, what they did was criminal,” Balawejder continued.  “They’re never going to pay the way they should for what they did.”

U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus agreed that “these settlements have nothing to do with holding the individuals responsible for [the veterans’] deaths accountable.”

Rep Rothfus also said that there are still “questions that the VA must answer.”

Multiple other members of congress have been involved in this Veterans Affairs situation, including Reps. Tom Murphy and Mike Doyle, and Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey.

To read more about this story, please click here.

Charleville Hospital’s theater to close again

The Charleville Hospital located in Australia will have to close its theater once again to have its plumbing replaced.  The theater was closed for several months last year due to the finding of Legionella bacteria, and has plans to close again in May or June of this year.

Meryl Brumpton from the South-West Hospital and Health Service says these are necessary precautions to ensure that the bacteria do not return.

“Because we’ve got old plumbing, it has dead legs in it, so water can sit in places for periods of time and the Legionella can grow, so that’s one major risk,” she was reported saying.

According to Ms. Brumpton, nearly $5 million is being invested to raise the hospital to good standards.

It is anticipated for the refurbishment to finish at the beginning of next year.

Man travelling from Singapore to Australia contracts Legionnaires’ disease

An employee of the Jan De Nul Group at the Fortescue Metals Group camp in South Hedland in West Australia has been in the hospital for a week battling a severe form of Legionnaires’ disease.

He became symptomatic while staying at the camp earlier this March and was diagnosed after being flown out for treatment.

The man had travelled from Singapore on a Jan De Nul vessel to spend several weeks in February working in Port Hedland.

A spokesman at Fortescue Metals Group claimed that the camp had no sources in which the man could have contracted Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially deadly form of pneumonia.  However, he also said that “as a precautionary measure we are undertaking testing around the site.”

http://www.legionnairelawyer.com/man-travelling-from-singapore-to-australia-contracts-legionnaires-disease/ 

Dartmouth Police Headquarters shuts down after Legionella discovered

Update 3/25/14: South Coast Today reported that the Dartmouth Police Headquarters station that shut down earlier this month due to Legionella will remain closed for at least another two months.  This means that the station may not be open until May at the earliest.  Police Chief Timothy M. Lee is erring on the side of caution and waiting for all test results to come back clean before re-opening the Dartmouth Police Headquarters; his main concern is to keep all 82 employees, which includes 67 police officers, safe.  

During this disinfection process, the police are working out of rented trailers and a mobile command center in the station's parking lot.  So far, the building's plumbing system has been flushed with 160˚F water to kill any Legionella bacteria.  Test results are expected to return this week, but the additional wait time is to ensure that the bacteria do not return.

A Dartmouth police officer became ill and was diagnosed Legionnaires’ disease earlier this March.

As a result, testing was done on the Dartmouth Police Headquarters, and the police station was subsequently shut down temporarily due to the finding of Legionella (bacteria causing Legionnaires’ disease) in the facility’s water system.

Currently, there is no date set for the reopening of the police headquarters, but steps are being taken to eradicate the bacteria.

Legion national commander discusses issues facing vets during local stop

Legion national commander discusses issues facing vets during local stop

Fordham News: Nobody Told Us About Outbreak

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