NEW YORK, NY — Ronald J. Katter, the Legionnaires’ disease Lawyer, said the New York City Department of Health’s October 9, 2024, report of two Legionnaires’ disease cases at Co-op City in the Bronx, New York, in the last year, is alarming. According to Mr. Katter, Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks would not occur, unless property owners fail to perform legally required testing and maintenance of their buildings’ water systems.  Owners, who fail to comply with the law, are liable to for the sickness and harm which result.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Legionnaires’ disease is caused by the Legionella bacteria. The bacteria can grow in warm water found in cooling towers, hot water tanks, and plumbing systems. People contract the disease when they breathe water vapor containing the bacteria.

Mr. Katter says it is critical that anyone who experiences Legionnaires’ disease symptoms — which may include any of the following: headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, coughs, gastrointestinal symptoms or confusion — seek immediate medical attention. “For the at-risk population who are over 50 years old, smokers, individuals with chronic respiratory ailments or compromised immune systems, Legionnaires’ disease can be life-threatening, so, for them, time is of the essence.” Mr. Katter also urges those seeking medical attention to “tell their physicians about the outbreak, so that they can be properly tested.”

Co-op City has had prior Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks, with fatalities. In 2018, a cluster of the disease at the apartment complex killed one person and sickened two others. A deadly Co-op City outbreak in 2015 resulted in two deaths and 31 being sickened. The cause was traced to one of the complex’s cooling towers.

“This was not the first time that Legionnaires’ disease has sickened Co-op City’s residents,” Mr. Katter said. “Had the property owners followed local law and kept the cooling towers properly cleaned and maintained, there would be no more Legionnaires’ outbreaks.”

Mr. Katter is a skilled advocate and highly experienced in representing clients who were sickened with Legionnaires’ disease. He has taken legal action against building owners who willfully refuse to clean and maintain the buildings’ water systems. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.

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About The Katter Law Firm

For more than 33 years, The Katter Law Firm represented clients in personal injury cases including those who have suffered injuries from Legionnaires’ disease, automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, truck accidents, slip/trip and falls, hotel accidents, assaults, workplace accidents, construction accidents, professional malpractice, nursing home negligence, hospital mistreatment, police abuse, accidental deaths and pet attacks. The firm aggressively and successfully represents clients throughout NYC’s five boroughs and the surrounding counties. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.

ALBANY, NY — Ronald J. Katter of The Katter Law Firm says that the outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at an assisted living facility in Albany, New York could have been prevented.

On August 30, the Albany County Health Department reported that a Legionnaires’ outbreak at Peregrine Senior Living at Shaker in Albany, hospitalized 25 people. Four of them have died. Administrators at Peregrine noted that, since the outbreak, they have installed water filters on some of its showers and sinks so that residents can still use the bathroom. In addition, they have provided residents with bottled water.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Legionnaires’ disease is caused by the Legionella bacteria. It grows in warm water found in water systems, cooling towers, hot tubs, decorative fountains and plumbing systems. People contract the disease when they breathe in water vapor containing the bacteria. The CDC notes that approximately 10% of all Legionnaires’ cases are fatal.

Seniors and people living with respiratory ailments and compromised immune systems like those who reside in assisted living facilities, are particularly susceptible to contracting Legionnaires ’ disease.

In a study, the CDC found that all deficiencies associated with the outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease could have been prevented by comprehensive and properly implemented water management programs. These programs include regularly cleaning and disinfecting water systems.

A facility’s failure to perform proper water system maintenance, which results in Legionnaires’ disease, may be the basis for civil and legal liability under New York law. That entitles those who were sickened with the disease to seek monetary compensation for their injuries from the facility.

“While I applaud the actions of the assisted living facility’s staff to keep its residents safe after the outbreak, they should have taken a proactive approach to make sure this didn’t happen in the first place,” Mr. Katter says. “When you have a facility that is housing the most vulnerable population, keeping the water systems clean and safe, must be priority number one.”

Mr. Katter says it is critical that anyone who experiences Legionnaires’ disease symptoms — which may include one or more of the following: headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, cough, gastrointestinal symptoms and confusion — seek immediate medical attention. “For the at-risk population, Legionnaires’ disease can be life-threatening, so, for them, time is of the essence.” Mr. Katter also urges those seeking medical attention to “tell their health providers about the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak, so that they will be properly tested for it.”

Mr. Katter is an experienced attorney who has successfully represented clients, who were sickened with Legionnaires’ disease. He fights to recover the maximum amount of money to compensate them for their injuries. He has taken legal action against building owners, hospitals, and care facilities, which fail to clean and maintain their buildings’ water systems. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.

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NEW YORK, NY — Ronald J. Katter of The Katter Law Firm says all water systems in the New Jersey counties of Passaic and Bergen, which reported an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, should be examined, since they may have transmitted the disease through water vapor.

From June 6, 2023 to August 4, 2023, nine cases of Legionnaires’ disease were confirmed in Passaic County and one was found in Bergen County. The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) is currently working with local health agencies to determine what caused the outbreak. According to the NJDOH, there are between 250 and 375 Legionnaires’ cases in the state each year.

A similar outbreak occurred in the same two counties late last year. From November 9, 2022 to December 21, 2022, seven Legionnaires’ cases were reported. The cause of the outbreak was never determined.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Legionnaires’ disease is caused by the Legionella bacteria. It grows in warm water found in water systems, including cooling towers, hot tubs, decorative fountains and plumbing systems. People contract the disease when they breathe in water vapor containing the bacteria. The CDC notes that approximately 10% of all Legionnaires’ cases result in death.

Although it cannot be transmitted from one person to another, it can be serious for those who smoke or have chronic lung conditions. Legionnaires’ disease can successfully be treated with antibiotics.

“It should be incumbent upon both counties to examine all water systems that discharge water vapor into the air to determine the source of Legionnaires’ disease,” Mr. Katter says. “I find it hard to believe that this outbreak occurred for the second time in six months and they still could not determine where it came from.”

Mr. Katter says it is critical that anyone who experiences Legionnaires’ disease symptoms — which may include one or more of the following: headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, cough, gastrointestinal symptoms and confusion — seek immediate medical attention. “For the at-risk population, Legionnaires’ disease can be life-threatening, so, for them, time is of the essence.” Mr. Katter also urges those seeking medical attention to “tell their physicians about the outbreak, so that they can be properly tested.”

Mr. Katter is an advocate and highly experienced in representing clients who were sickened with Legionnaires’ disease. He has taken legal action against building owners who willfully refuse to clean and maintain the buildings’ water systems. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.

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About The Katter Law Firm

The Katter Law Firm represents clients throughout New York City in personal injury cases including those who have suffered injuries as a result of construction accidents, Legionnaires ‘disease, motor vehicle collisions, pedestrian knockdowns, bicycle crashes, slip/trip and falls,  assaults, workplace accidents, professional malpractice, nursing home negligence, hospital mistreatment, police abuse, accidental death, pet attacks and cemetery and funeral negligence.  The firm aggressively represents injured victims through New York’s five boroughs, as well as the surrounding counties. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.

NEW YORK, NY —  New York’s public health  professionals are warning about a potential rise in Legionnaires’ disease and an associated increase in hospital admissions this summer.

Legionnaires’ disease is a respiratory illness, which may cause pneumonia, sepsis and even death. Early symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include shortness of breath, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and confusion. People with respiratory illnesses, compromised immune systems, a history of smoking or are more than 50 years old are most susceptible to Legionnaires’ disease.

Legionnaires’ disease can be contracted when someone inhales water vapor that has been contaminated with Legionella. That is the type of the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease. Legionella can be found in building-wide cooling systems, hot water tanks, fountains, hot tubs, large plumbing systems and decorative fountains.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene just released a Legionnaires’ disease advisory for New York’s doctors and hospitals, which warned them to be on the lookout for cases of Legionnaires’ disease. The agency stated that the greatest number of Legionnaires’ disease infections occur between the summer and early fall.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were close to 5,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease reported in New York State from 2018 to 2022. In 2020, New York State reported more cases than any other. Most of those were in New York City.

“It is imperative that anyone who experiences Legionnaires’ disease symptoms seek medical attention immediately so they can be tested and treated,” says Ronald Katter of The Katter Law Firm. “For the at-risk population, Legionnaires’ disease can be life-threatening.”

Mr. Katter is available for interviews on this matter. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.

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About The Katter Law Firm

The Katter Law Firm has significant experience representing New Yorkses who have suffered with the symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease for nearly a decade. He has recovered millions of dollars to compensate them from the entities that caused the Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks. The firm also represents individuals injured in motor vehicle collisions, slip/trip and falls, construction falls, nursing home negligence, and funeral and cemetery carelessness. The firm aggressively represents injured victims throughout the New York City metro region and its surrounding counties. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.

NEW YORK, NY — Ronald J. Katter of The Katter Law Firm, President, The Jewish Lawyers Guild, has announced that the Guild will be holding its 44th Annual Gala on Thursday, June 22 at the Metropolitan Pavilion, located at 125 W. 18th Street, New York, New York. Cocktail hour and a buffet reception will start at 6 p.m. and the awards ceremony will begin at 7:30 p.m.

This year’s honorees include the Honorable Deborah Kaplan, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge of the New York City Courts, who will receive the Distinguished Jurist Award; the Honorable Adam Silvera, Administrative Judge, Supreme Court, New York County, Civil Term, who will be the recipient of the Benjamin N. Cardozo Award; and the Honorable Doris M. Gonzalez, Administrative Judge, Supreme Court, Bronx County, Civil Term, who will be honored with the Golda Meir Memorial Award.

The Jewish Lawyers Guild is an organization of lawyers and jurists founded upon fellowship and faith in tradition since 1962. The Guild holds a variety of activities, including lectures, programs and tours that are of interest to the legal and Jewish communities. In addition, the Guild participates in the judicial screening panels, provides a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program for its members and funds two scholarships at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

“We wish to congratulate these fine jurists on being honored at this year’s event,” Mr. Katter said. “Our event has always brought together some of the foremost legal professionals and has always been a part of what makes this organization very special.”

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information about the Jewish Lawyers Guild, visit www.jewishlawyersguild.org. For more information about Katter Law, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.

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About The Katter Law Firm

The Katter Law Firm represents clients throughout New York City in personal injury cases including those who have suffered injuries as a result of Legionnaires’ disease, motor vehicle collisions, pedestrian knockdowns, bicycle crashes, slip/trip and falls, assaults, workplace accidents, construction accidents, professional malpractice, nursing home negligence, hospital mistreatment, police abuse, accidental death, pet attacks and cemetery and funeral negligence.  The firm aggressively represents injured victims through New York’s five boroughs, as well as the surrounding counties. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.

NEW YORK, NY — This month, the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH) released “Deadly Skyline: An Annual Report on Construction Fatalities in New York State.” In the report, it showed that the number of deaths on construction sites in the state, especially in New York City, has risen significantly. Ronald J. Katter, of The Katter Law Firm, says that understaffing at the NYC Building Department and fewer inspections of construction sites by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) may have contributed to the increase in these fatalities.

After three years of declines, the number of fatalities on construction sites in The Empire State increased by 49% in 2021 to 61 from 41 in 2020, according to data from the NYCOSH report. That is the highest number of deaths reported since 2016, when 71 workers were killed on construction sites. In New York City, 20 workers died in 2021 — a 54% increase over the previous year’s figure of 13.

NYCOSH also noted that the New York City Department of Buildings (NYC DOB) is understaffed, citing an article from The New York Times which stated that there is a 25% vacancy rate within the agency. In addition, the city’s proposed 2023 budget for the city will include an 8% cut in funding for NYC DOB. In addition, OSHA has conducted fewer inspections, despite receiving a bump in funding in 2022 to approximately $612 million, compared to $591.8 million in 2021. Only 2,568 inspections were performed in 2021, which is slightly higher than 2020’s figure of 2,080, but far off the more than 4,000 inspections in 2019, a year before the pandemic hit.

“The fact that there aren’t enough people to operate the city’s Department of Buildings, combined with OSHA’s lack of oversight of construction sites within the state and city over the past few years, may have resulted in an increase in these on-the-job fatalities,” Mr. Katter says. “Had these problems been remedied earlier, there probably would have been fewer deaths.”

Mr. Katter is available for interviews on this matter. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.

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About The Katter Law Firm

The Katter Law Firm represents clients throughout New York City in personal injury cases including those who have suffered injuries as a result of Legionnaires’ disease, motor vehicle collisions, pedestrian knockdowns, bicycle crashes, slip/trip and falls,  assaults, workplace accidents, construction accidents, professional malpractice, nursing home negligence, hospital mistreatment, police abuse, accidental death, pet attacks and cemetery and funeral negligence.  The firm aggressively represents injured victims through New York’s five boroughs, as well as the surrounding counties. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.

NEW YORK, NY — Ronald J. Katter of The Katter Law Firm  is urging residents of the Amsterdam Nursing Home in Manhattan and members of the surrounding community who are experiencing flu-like symptoms to be tested for Legionnaires’ disease after two people died, possibly from the disease.

On September 14, two residents died after the disease was found at the nursing home, according to the New York State Department of Health. Although both residents were infected with Legionnaires’ disease, the agency could not confirm if that contributed to their deaths.

Between June 2022 and early September 2022, the NYS Health Department investigated eight possible cases of Legionnaires’ disease. Four of the residents died, two of whom had the disease. Five started showing initial signs of Legionnaire’s disease, while one tested positive.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Legionnaires’ disease is caused by the Legionella bacteria. It grows in warm water found in water systems, including cooling towers. The cooling towers disperse water vapor into the air. People contract the disease when they breathe in water vapor containing the bacteria. The CDC notes that approximately 10% of all Legionnaires’ cases result in death.

Although it cannot be transmitted from one person to another, it can be serious for those who smoke or have chronic lung conditions. Legionnaires’ disease can successfully be treated with antibiotics.

Amsterdam Nursing Home was cited in 2017 for failing to adequately clean or disinfect the new cooling towers and again in March 2021 for failing to test and analyze a Legionella sample.

“New York City health codes require building owners to test and treat their water systems to prevent the occurrence of Legionella,” Mr. Katter says. “If you have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, consult with an attorney who is experienced in handling Legionnaires’ cases to learn your legal rights to compensation.”

Mr. Katter is experienced in representing clients who contracted Legionnaires’ disease, including clients who were sickened during recent outbreaks in the Highbridge section of the Bronx, New York; Harlem, New York; and Napa County, California.

Mr. Katter is available for interviews on this matter. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.

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About The Katter Law Firm

The Katter Law Firm represents clients throughout New York City in personal injury cases including those who have suffered injuries as a result of construction accidents, Legionnaires’ disease, motor vehicle collisions, pedestrian knockdowns, bicycle crashes, slip/trip and falls,  assaults, workplace accidents, professional malpractice, nursing home negligence, hospital mistreatment, police abuse, accidental death, pet attacks and cemetery and funeral negligence.  The firm aggressively represents injured victims through New York’s five boroughs, as well as the surrounding counties. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com

NEW YORK, NY — Last year, a state law went into effect to establish a public database to report worker fatalities at construction sites. However, despite the high number of worker deaths in New York, often at the same work site, there is still no construction site fatality database. Ronald J. Katter, of The Katter Law Firm, says it is imperative that the state set up the database, as soon as possible.

In February 2021, then-Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a bill that was sponsored by New York State Senator Jessica Ramos that required construction firms, medical professionals and coroners to report all construction-related deaths to the state Department of Labor. The agency, in turn, was required to set up and maintain the Workplace Fatalities Registry, where it would enter the data it collected and make it available to the public.  The registry was supposed to be online one year exactly after the governor’s approval.

Although the NYS DOL launched a website for the database, the records have not yet been made public. The agency claims it has not received any data since the bill became law. However, a report from the New York City Department of Buildings found that nine people died on construction job sites in 2021.

“I find it reprehensible that the Department of Labor has yet to launch this construction worker fatality database, despite the known deaths of these workers,” Mr. Katter says. “The agency has had nearly a year and a half to work on this, but its registry is still not up and running. The NYS DOL needs to be held accountable for its lack of data oversight and its failure to keep the working public up to date on the number and location of construction-related fatalities.”

Mr. Katter is available for interviews on this matter. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.

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About The Katter Law Firm

The Katter Law Firm represents clients throughout New York City in personal injury cases including those who have suffered injuries as a result of construction accidents, Legionnaires ‘disease, motor vehicle collisions, pedestrian knockdowns, bicycle crashes, slip/trip and falls,  assaults, workplace accidents, professional malpractice, nursing home negligence, hospital mistreatment, police abuse, accidental death, pet attacks and cemetery and funeral negligence.  The firm aggressively represents injured victims through New York’s five boroughs, as well as the surrounding counties. For more information, call (212) 809-4293 or visit www.katterlaw.com.