In a post last year we wrote about an investigation that was underway at a VA Hospital in Pittsburgh. The investigation was prompted by the presence of Legionnaires' disease, the discovery of which was announced in mid November 2012. The initial outbreak caused the hospitals located in Pittsburgh to make a change with the water treatment systems that were being used. In this post we provide an update.

The Centers for Disease Control, which aided in the investigation mentioned in the previous post, recently issued its report earlier this month. It noted that despite it being the protocol for the VA hospital, the hospital's lab failed to provide test results which indicated the presence of Legionnaires for over 48 hours. It also indicated that construction work being conducted on the facility could have played a role in the outbreak of the disease which was believed to have been passed in the water used at the hospital.

Since news of the outbreak a total of five individuals have died due to the disease. The most recent death was in late January. Where exactly that veteran contracted the infection is currently unknown. While it I possible that it could have been contracted in the community rather than the hospital, the CDC is looking into the matter and will likely have an answer.

Most individuals who find themselves in a hospital setting expect to leave in better health than when they arrived. They certainly do not expect the failure of certain protocols at facilities to result additional illnesses or even death. When it does happen, it is possible that a medical malpractice lawsuit could be appropriate.

Source: Navy Times, "VA: Vet died of Legionnaires' disease in Pa." The Associated Press, Feb. 9, 2013

Medical malpractice cases can arise in a variety of settings for a variety of reasons. Our firm provides counsel in these types of matters. If you would like to learn more about our practice, please visit our page that focuses on Pittsburgh hospital negligence.