{2:35 minutes to read}

The Katter Law Firm is the first law firm to take legal action against a Bronx, New York, luxury hotel  alleged to be the source of the recent and largest outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in New York.

The Katter Law Firm filed the complaint against the Opera House Hotel in the South Bronx, on behalf of the plaintiff, an otherwise healthy 54-year-old man, who contracted Legionnaires’ disease. It alleges that the Opera House Hotel was negligent, careless, and reckless, and caused severe and permanent injury to the plaintiff. It also alleges that the Opera House Hotel’s owners failed to properly maintain and clean the hotels’ cooling towers.

This Legionnaires’ disease outbreak has resulted in 12 deaths and more than 120 hospitalizations.

On August 21, 2015 the New York City Health Department’s Public Health Laboratory, working with the New York State’s Wadsworth Center Laboratory and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), announced that the source of the outbreak was bacteria in the cooling towers at the Opera House Hotel.

According to the CDC, Legionnaires’ disease is caused by the Legionella bacteria, which are usually found in water. The bacteria can grow in warm water found in hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems and decorative fountains. People contract the disease when they breathe in water mist or vapor containing the bacteria. Symptoms include a deep cough, shortness of breath, high fever, muscle aches and headaches.

If you or a loved one have concerns or questions about the legal rights of people infected with Legionnaires’ disease, please call us at 212-809-4293 or email us at info@KatterLaw.com