The lawsuits allege that preventable failures to maintain cooling towers and water systems at Harlem Hospital and the New York City Public Health Laboratory exposed dozens of people to Legionella bacteria, including seven who died
NEW YORK (Aug. 6, 2026) — Civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump, along with co-counsel Jared Scotto of Weitz & Luxenberg and Nabeha Shaer of Ben Crump Law, today filed three lawsuits in New York State Supreme Court, New York County, on behalf of 41 individuals and families who the lawsuits say were harmed in the 2025 Central Harlem Legionnaires’ disease outbreak.
One action is brought on behalf of the estates of Bruce Scott, Clara Rodriguez, Ronald Israel, Edgar Tatum Jr., and Rachel Tew, who died after contracting the disease, according to the complaint. Two additional actions seek damages for 36 people who the lawsuits say became sick after being in or near the facilities.
Contaminated Cooling Towers and Medical Background
According to the filings, the plaintiffs inhaled Legionella bacteria during the summer of 2025 while in the vicinity of:
- Harlem Hospital: Located at 506 Lenox Ave.
- New York City Public Health Laboratory: Located at 40 W. 137th St.
City health officials identified an outbreak in Central Harlem in July 2025. According to the filings, one or more cooling towers at both buildings later tested positive for live Legionella bacteria, with more than 100 people diagnosed in connection with the outbreak.
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia contracted by inhaling mist or vapor from contaminated water, with symptoms typically appearing 2 to 14 days after exposure. Cooling towers, which release water vapor as they cool large buildings, are a recognized source of infection.
Allegations and Named Defendants
The complaints allege the defendants failed to develop and follow a water management plan required by the New York State Sanitary Code and failed to meet the code’s cooling tower registration, inspection, testing, remediation, and recordkeeping requirements. The complaints further allege that the defendants failed to warn people nearby of the danger.
Named Defendants Include:
- City of New York
- New York City Health + Hospitals Corp.
- New York City Economic Development Corp.
- Skanska USA Building Inc. (oversees construction at the Public Health Laboratory)
- Nalco Company LLC & Ecolab Inc. (responsible for cooling towers at Harlem Hospital)
- KSW Mechanical LLC & Chem-Aqua Inc. (responsible for cooling towers at the Public Health Laboratory)
Statement from Attorney Ben Crump
“This outbreak changed lives forever. Seven families are mourning loved ones, and dozens of others endured a severe form of pneumonia that left many facing hospitalization, painful recoveries, and lasting physical and emotional impacts. An outbreak of this magnitude does not happen in a vacuum. Public health safeguards exist for a reason, and when they are not followed, families, workers, and entire communities bear the consequences. Accountability is essential, not only to provide justice for those who were harmed, but to help ensure a tragedy like this never happens again.”
The complaints assert claims of negligence, public nuisance, and wrongful death, and seek compensatory and punitive damages for physical injuries, conscious pain and suffering, emotional distress, medical expenses, and lost earnings.
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ABOUT BEN CRUMP LAW
Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has spearheaded a legal movement to better protect the rights of marginalized citizens. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in areas including civil rights, personal injury, labor and employment, and class actions. Ben Crump Law is dedicated to holding the powerful accountable. For more information, visit bencrump.com.
