Personal Injury Law

Man Files Illinois Personal Injury Lawsuit Against Hampton Inn After Allegedly Contracting Legionnaire?s Disease in Hot Tub

An Illinois man is suing the Hampton Inn in East Peoria for personal injury. Dale Larson says he got Legionnaire?s disease while in a hotel hot tub and that this caused him to suffer permanent brain damage and catastrophic injuries, including partial paralysis, vision loss, and speech loss.

The 58-year-old plaintiff stayed at the hotel on December 30, 2007. He spent approximately an hour and a half in the hot tub to relieve is lower back pain. He told staffers that the water, which was lukewarm, needed to be hotter. They responded by telling him that even though the tub needed servicing, it was safe for use.

Larson?s Illinois premises liability lawsuit is accusing the hotel of failing to properly sanitize the tub. It also contends that the hotel failed to follow Illinois Department of Public Health regulations for hot tubs. The complaint says that on six occasions, the IDPH had closed the spa to the public. In August 2007, it ordered that the spa be super-chlorinated.

Legionnaire's Disease
Caused by the bacteria Legionella, at least 8,000 people in the US are hospitalized every year because of this illness. Many incidents go unreported or undiagnosed.

Legionella is usually found in warm water, such as the water found in hot water tanks, cooling towers, hot tubs, large plumbing systems, and in certain air conditioners. Legionnaire's Disease isn?t passed between people. People can get it by inhaling vapor or mist that has been contaminated with Legionella. A whirlpool spa that isn?t properly disinfected or cleaned is one place where someone who breathes in the steam might contract this illness.

Elderly persons, smokers, and people with weak immune systems are at risk of getting Legionnaire's Disease. Up to 30% of Legionnaire?s Disease result in fatalities.

If you believe that your illness occurred because a premise owner failed to remove a hazardous or toxic substance from a property or neglected to properly sanitize a facility, you may have grounds for a Chicago, Illinois injury lawsuit.

Man says he got illness from hot tub, PJStar.com, March 15, 2010

Patient Facts: Learn More about Legionnaires' disease, CDC

Related Web Resources:
Illinois Department of Public Health

Legionella

Full post as published by Chicago Injury Attorney Blog on March 19, 2010 (boomark / email).