Legionnaire’s disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by bacteria found in water whose symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, high fever, muscle aches and headaches and in most severe circumstances death. The symptoms can often be confused with other illnesses. As we have seen in the recent news, the number of cases of Legionnaire’s disease in New York has increased exponentially over the past several years due to reasons including lack of regulation. While most healthy adults can recover from the disease with the use of antibiotics, elderly adults and children who have diminished or weakened immune systems are at particular risk from Legionnaire’s disease and should seek medical treatment immediately. The New York Daily News provided a great article authored by Erin Durkin , Erica Pearson , Larry Mcshane on New York City’s current struggle and it can be found here.
If you or a loved one are diagnosed with Legionnaire’s Disease, please call The Law Firm of Vaughn & Weber, PLLC at (516) 858-2620 to speak to a Personal Injury attorney today!
Legal Procedure Decision
In Roseman v. Baranowski, 2014 NY Slip Op. 05635, the Second Department allowed Plaintiff leave to amend the summons and complaint in order to add a doctor as a defendant after EBT’s (depositions) were conducted. Plaintiff’s reason to add the doctor was that the doctor was “united in interest” with the original Defendants. The Court focused on the fact that the doctor being added either knew or should have known that he should have been included in the original action. More specifically, using the relation back doctrine, the Court considered if the new Defendant had notice within the applicable statute of limitations period. Hospital records listing work performed by new Defendant were used as proof of the new Defendant’s notice.
This case illustrates the importance of correctly bringing an action against all parties in interest. Failure to include a party can be detrimental or fatal to your case.
As always, if you have questions regarding the commencement of an action, call The Law Firm of Vaughn & Weber, PLLC at (516) 858-2620 to speak with a Litigation Attorney today!
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