A lawsuit that has been filed in New Orleans, claiming that a teenager was killed because of contaminated water. The suit was filed by the parents against the St. Bernard Parish government. Their claim says that their son was infected by the organism naegleria fowleri through the county’s water system. This single-celled organism is also known as “brain-eating amoeba”, according to the CDC, and it will usually enter the body through contaminated water going up the nose. This organism sometimes lives in warm freshwater and soil. People can become infected when swimming in lakes or rivers, and rarely, infection can stem from swimming pool water that has not been properly chlorinated or from heated tap water. An infection is usually fatal.
Last August, this teen died from primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), caused by this organism, says the claim. The plaintiffs allege that the defendants should have been aware of the presence of this amoeba in the water supply, because one other person had already died from PAM. The plaintiffs thus claim that the parish failed to correctly chlorinate the water, to have inspections for this lethal organism, and for not cautioning the public about this amoeba being in the water. The couple is pursuing damages for physical and mental suffering, medical bills, loss of companionship, and more.
While no amount of compensation can undo such a great loss, a wrongful death claim can provide families with the financial support they need and bring a measure of justice against a negligent party. For what makes these tragedies all the more tragic is how preventable they are. If you and your family are suffering because of someone else’s negligent actions, then you should not have to be the ones paying for medical expenses or the other financial burdens forced on you in this difficult time. Learn how you may be able to achieve the financial recovery you deserve when you contact a Shreveport personal injury lawyer at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers today.
