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Legionnaires' lawsuits against Quincy home seek $100K each

Posted December 15, 2017 6:00 am

The Associated Press

QUINCY, Ill. (AP) - Multiple lawsuits against the state over a Legionnaires' disease outbreak at a Quincy veterans' home have been filed in the Illinois Court of Claims.

The (Quincy) Herald-Whig obtained the lawsuits through a Freedom of Information Act request and reports there are 10 lawsuits. An 11th is expected.

A 2015 outbreak killed 12 people and sickened many others at the Illinois Veterans Home. Several cases have developed since then despite pledges from state officials to fix problems. The newspaper says a 13th death was reported in October.

Victims' families began filing lawsuits last year alleging negligence. Each complaint seeks $100,000, the maximum allowed by law.

Two lawsuits claim the facility knew about the presence of water-borne bacteria Legionella by July 2015, but didn't notify residents.

Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs officials say the facility did everything possible.

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Information from: The Quincy Herald-Whig, http://www.whig.com

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