Ohio County Sued by Employees over 2015 Legionnaires’ Outbreak

Article

Seven Lucas County, Ohio, employees who became sick after exposure to a rare form of Legionnaires’ bacteria have filed a lawsuit.

The Blade newspaper reports that the lawsuit seeks damages from the county board of commissioners and multiple other defendants.

The newspaper reports six of the seven are still employed by county Job and Family Services while the other has retired.

Some 15 employees became sick in 2015, with 11 getting hospital treatment for respiratory illnesses linked to their building’s cooling system that circulates water through pipes.

Attorney Daniel Abraham says some of the plaintiffs have ongoing problems from the exposure.

Dennis Lyle, an assistant county prosecutor, declined comment on the lawsuit, but said he believed the problems were corrected and that there were no pending concerns.