Legionnaires’ outbreak: Five people start legal proceedings

FIVE people who have caught Legionnaires’ Disease have now started legal action which could see them receive compensation for becoming infected, it emerged on Friday night.

• Five people start legal proceedings the day after second man dies of illness

• National Museum of Scotland served with Improvement Notice in relation to staff training issues

• Scottish Labour party call for public inquiry

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The news came shortly after a second man died of the illness in Edinburgh.

Lawyers acting for the victims say they are waiting for the results of the ongoing investiagtion into the source of the outbreak to decide if patients can seek compensation.

They say if individual companies or the authorities are found to have been negligent they will seek financial settlements for the victims.

Elaine Russell, a partner at law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: “While compensation is something that could be relevant if there is negligence involved it is still early stages and we have only just been instructed to act on their behalf.”

She said any future claims would aldo depend on how the disease had affected each individual.

Ms Russell said all five victims are seeking answers to why the outbreak happened and reassurances from the authorities that measures are taken to ensure it does not happen again.

Earlier, the City Council served an Improvement Notice on the National Museum of Scotland as part of the ongoing Legionella investigation.

A spokesman said it related to to staff training issues and not the operation of cooling towers under investigation as a possible source of the outbreak.

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He said: “The notice requires that the museum ensures key staff members are appropriately trained in the management of water systems, which includes overseeing the ongoing monitoring and maintenance regime undertaken by specialist contractors.

The Scottish Labour party has called for a public inquiry into the outbreak which has claimed the lives of two Edinburgh men.

The party’s health secretary, Jackie Baillie, said: I would urge the Scottish Government to agree to a public inquiry. This should not have happened and an public inquiry will ensure we learn lessons and try to prevent this happening again.”