Can I get Legionnaires’ disease from showers? This is a critical question for anyone diagnosed with the condition. Are you wondering where you could have gotten it from? Maybe you are trying to think of how to get compensation for your medical costs, but you don’t know who would be liable. Maybe you are thinking, Can I get Legionnaires’ from my shower? The answer is yes; you can contract Legionnaires’ disease in a shower! Here is a short guide to basic information about Legionnaires’ disease and what you can do if you are infected with this life-threatening disease.
How Do You Get Legionnaires’ Disease from a Shower?
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe and uncommon form of pneumonia that can cause a potentially fatal lung infection. A person gets Legionnaires’ disease when inhaling or ingesting tiny water droplets containing legionella bacteria. Legionella occurs naturally in freshwater sources. When water supply systems are not properly maintained or cleaned, legionella bacteria can grow and cause infections and even an outbreak.
Symptoms and Complications of Legionnaires’ Disease
Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease can feel like pneumonia or flu. They include:
- Fever,
- Chills,
- Headache,
- Muscle aches,
- Shortness of breath,
- Cough, and
- Gastrointestinal issues.
If you are suffering from these symptoms, you should get medical attention as soon as possible.
Legionnaires’ disease can cause serious issues if left untreated. A person infected with legionella bacteria could end up with organ failure, especially the lungs or kidneys. Legionnaires’ disease can also cause septic shock, and can even result in death. The CDC reports that one in every 10 people who contract this disease will lose their life. People who smoke, are immunocompromised, have chronic respiratory issues, or are over age 50 are more susceptible to severe complications.
How Do I Reduce the Risk of Contracting Legionnaires’ Disease from a Shower?
When you are on vacation, you cannot know when your hotel shower was last maintained. The hotel room might have been out of circulation for a while, and the water could be old and sitting in the shower for a while. You can reduce your chance of contracting Legionnaires’ disease from a shower by running the water using cold water for a few minutes and then running it through on the hottest setting before showering. You can reduce your chance of getting Legionnaires’ disease by running the water in the sink, bathtub, or hot tub before use.
Who Could Be Liable if I Catch Legionnaires’ Disease from a Shower?
If you went on vacation or stayed in a long-term rental, someone else was responsible for maintaining the property’s water systems. It could be a landlord or property manager, hotel owners or maintenance, or a third-party company. If you are dealing with medical expenses or other costs because you contracted Legionnaires’ disease, your attorney might be able to help you get compensation for your injuries. You have two years from the date that you discovered your illness or from the date that you should have discovered it to begin a legal claim in California.
What Damages Can I Claim for a Legionnaires’ Disease Claim?
You should know that no “average settlement” exists in any personal injury lawsuit, including Legionnaires’ disease claims. The value of someone’s case depends on the specific facts and circumstances surrounding their exposure to this illness. However, the easiest damages to calculate are your economic losses because they are tangible. In other words, they can be readily computed by simply adding up invoices or bills you have received due to your illness. You can recover the cost of your past and future medical treatment and any lost wages stemming from your exposure. Although economic damages tend to be relatively straightforward, you might need an expert to estimate your future losses in this category.
You would also include non-financial losses in your claim, such as pain and suffering. These damages are less tangible and typically require an experienced attorney’s help in coming up with an appropriate estimate.
How Do I Win a Legal Claim if I Have Legionnaires’ Disease?
Your attorney will have to show that someone was responsible for maintaining the water systems involved and failed to act responsibly. They will also have to prove that you contracted Legionnaires’ disease and suffered damages as a result of this negligence. Your attorney will investigate your claim, gather documentation and evidence, and build a strong case. They will also negotiate a settlement or litigate at trial if necessary.
Contact Riley | Ersoff LLP to Help with Your Legionnaires’ Disease Lawsuit
Riley | Ersoff LLP can help you get compensation for your injuries. Our attorneys’ detailed knowledge of the cause and effect of Legionnaires’ disease and experience in successfully litigating these cases is unmatched. We specialize in legal claims against property owners and other companies resulting from negligence. We have years of experience obtaining successful outcomes for our clients in Legionnaires’ disease claims. You can view some of our results on our website. Contact Riley | Ersoff LLP to set up an initial consultation so we can get started on your case today!
Grant Riley
Grant Riley is a sophisticated, proactive, and aggressive attorney with 35 years of in-the-trenches experience litigating complex, big-money disputes. Grant is every landlord’s worst nightmare. He has prosecuted hundreds of slum housing, lead poisoning, carbon monoxide poisoning cases and other complex personal injury cases against greedy slumlords and their insurers. Grant, his partner Victoria Ersoff, and his team of lawyers at Riley | Ersoff LLP are responsible for collecting more than $100,000,000 on behalf of hundreds of low income, immigrant, inner-city tenants and others who had no other options and nowhere else to go. If you’ve been harmed, injured, abused or ignored by a landlord, a greedy corporation, or their insurance company, call us. We’ve got the smarts, the experience, and the drive to help you get exactly what you deserve – justice.
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