One person who lives at the Hanover Square Apartments in Otterbein (a neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland) was diagnosed with Legionnaires’ Disease (LD) in July, according to health officials. LD is a severe form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. The only way to get this illness is to breathe in water mist containing Legionella. The bacteria settle in the lungs and replicate, causing an infection.
The case of Legionnaires’ Disease has not been connected to the apartment building.
“Many of our Legionella pneumonia cases involve wrongful death,” said Fred Pritzker, one of the few attorneys in the U.S. who has a national practice in this area. “This is a dangerous pathogen, and all building owners are required by law to take measures to prevent its growth in water systems.” You can call 1-888-377-8900 to contact Fred for your free consultation.
With only one case (and no evidence connecting the illness to the apartment building), the city of Baltimore notified the building manager, but did not require water restrictions. The manager voluntarily imposed water restrictions that will remain in place until test results have returned. Water samples from the apartment building were sent to a lab for Legionella testing. If Legionella bacteria are in the water, it may be evidence that that water from the apartment building caused the case of Legionnaires’ Disease.
“Evidence in these cases includes water testing results. Legionella bacteria have different genetic “fingerprints”, and we analyze these to determine if a water source caused an illness,” said Attorney Fred Pritzker.
The property manager of Hanover Square Apartments is Edgewood Management, which also manages the Apostolic Towers, an apartment complex for seniors in East Baltimore. Earlier this year, 2 residents of Apostolic Towers were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ Disease. We are not aware of any scientific evidence connecting those cases to the apartment building.
The owner of the Hanover Square building is National Foundation for Affordable Housing Solutions Inc., an affordable housing nonprofit.
Legionnaires’ Disease in Baltimore
To date, there have been 27 cases of Legionnaires’ Disease in Baltimore. There are about 8,000to 18,000 people hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease each year in the United States, according to the CDC.
Attorneys for Legionella Pneumonia Lawsuit
Our attorneys have won personal injury and wrongful death cases for clients, including a recent $3 million Legionnaires’ Disease wrongful death settlement. You can click here now to contact Fred Pritzker and our other Legionnaires’ Disease attorneys. They will help you protect your legal rights. Find out if you can sue your landlord.