Homeless veteran settles Legionnaires' lawsuit against VA
A homeless veteran who worked as a greeter for the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System has settled his lawsuit over contracting Legionnaires' disease, according to federal court documents.
U.S. District Judge Nora Barry Fischer filed an order Monday saying that attorneys for Kenneth Jordan and the government had reached a settlement. Jordan's attorney and a Justice Department spokeswoman couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
Jordan, who was honorably discharged from the Army in 1978, approached the VA in 2011 seeking medical and financial help under its Health Care for Homeless Veterans program, the lawsuit said.
As part of the program, he worked as a greeter at the University Drive hospital in Oakland until he became ill and was admitted to the hospital May 29, 2012.
He was placed in the intensive care unit and, on June 8, 2012, tested positive for Legionella, the lawsuit says. The bacteria can cause Legionnaires' disease, a severe and potentially deadly form of pneumonia.
The disease exacerbated a pre-existing kidney problem, and Jordan was on dialysis three times a week when he filed the lawsuit in March 2014.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease occurred in facilities in the VA Pittsburgh system from February 2011 to November 2012. The CDC traced the problem to bacteria-contaminated water.
More than a dozen people have filed claims against the government. The outbreak sickened at least 22 patients at VA campuses in Oakland and O'Hara. Six of the patients died. The VA has settled at least 12 of the complaints.
VA records obtained by the Tribune-Review showed Legionella bacteria in the water at least back to 2007. An extensive investigation by the newspaper also revealed that proper water testing procedures weren't followed and that those sickened with Legionella bacteria were not routinely given a urine test that could have diagnosed the pneumonia as Legionnaire's disease.
Brian Bowling is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at 412-325-4301 or bbowling@tribweb.com.
