Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath partner, Lance C. Ivey represented the mother of a deceased young woman who allegedly died of legionnaires disease. After several traumatic days in and out of Palm Beach County emergency clinics, the 37-year-old woman died in a hospital apparently from the disease contracted from a hot tub while traveling out of state. Legionnaires disease is not easily detected which may have led to a misdiagnosis by the hospitals possibly causing the disease to fester even longer without the correct treatment.
Mr. Ivey and his team of in-house investigators and experts were able to gather evidence from the scene and after numerous lab reports and months of intense work, the reports came back positive for the bacteria. The evidence was presented to the defendant and their law team. The results were conclusive and a settlement of $3,000,000 was agreed upon. The lawyers requested the name of the defendant be withheld.
“It takes a very dedicated team to conduct this type of investigation and this type of illness can be passed off as something completely different. We needed to find the answers to her death, thankfully we did” expressed Mr. Ivey.
About Legionnaires disease:
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia — lung inflammation usually caused by infection. Legionnaires’ disease is caused by a bacterium known as legionella.
You can’t catch legionnaires’ disease from person-to-person contact. Instead, most people get legionnaires’ disease from inhaling the bacteria. The legionella bacterium also causes Pontiac fever, a milder illness resembling the flu. Separately or together, the two illnesses are sometimes called legionellosis. Pontiac fever usually clears on its own, but untreated legionnaires’ disease can be fatal. Although prompt treatment with antibiotics usually cures legionnaires’ disease, some people continue to experience problems after treatment. The bacterium Legionella pneumophila is responsible for most cases of legionnaires’ disease. Outdoors, legionella bacteria survive in soil and water, but rarely cause infections. Indoors, though, legionella bacteria can multiply in all kinds of water systems — hot tubs, air conditioners and mist sprayers in grocery store produce departments.
Most people become infected when they inhale microscopic water droplets containing legionella bacteria. This might be the spray from a shower, faucet or whirlpool, or water dispersed through the ventilation system in a large building. Outbreaks have been linked to a range of sources, including:
- Hot tubs and whirlpools on cruise ships
- Grocery store mist machines
- Cooling towers in air conditioning systems
- Decorative fountains
- Swimming pools
- Physical therapy equipment
- Water systems in hotels, hospitals and nursing homes
About Lance C. Ivey:
Lance C. Ivey is a partner at the trial law firm of Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath. He is a top civil trial attorney specializing in personal injury and wrongful death litigation including automobile accidents, products liability, medical malpractice, legal malpractice and premises liability. He is a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, the highest level of recognition for attorney competency and experience. He has obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for clients throughout Florida and the United States.
All communications regarding the civil litigation of this case should be directed to attorney, Lance Ivey of the law firm of Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath.
About Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey and Fronrath:
The law firm represents the plaintiff in personal injury, medical malpractice, product liability, motor vehicle accidents and nursing home abuse cases. Their national reputation for representing and Fighting For The Rights of those who have been injured is well known.
For more information on Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath, call the West Palm Beach office at 561-655-1990 or go to www.foryourrights.com. The law firm’s office is located at 515 N. Flagler Dr., West Palm Beach, FL 33401.
