A personal injury suit at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio should serve as a warning to Philadelphia residents and business owners who may be coping with roof damage suffered during the winter. Last spring a water leak in one of the university's buildings saturated the ceiling. Workers used high speed fans to dry the ceiling. Two OSU workers and their families are now suing the university, claiming that they were exposed to a dangerous fungus during the ceiling repair procedure which caused them to suffer serious personal injury.
Both workers contracted histoplasmosis last spring, a sometimes fatal fungal disease of the lungs. Histoplasmosis can cause fever, chills, chest pains, fatigue, cough, permanent scarring of the lungs and chronic respiratory problems. If the fungus attacks other organs, histoplasmosis can be fatal.
Commonly found in bird and bat droppings, histoplasmosis is transmitted when pulverized droppings are stirred into the air and breathed in. The OSU victims claim that the university knew the roof space above the leaking ceiling had been infested by birds and bats and that the fans used to dry the ceiling introduced histoplasmosis fungus into the air breathed by the workers. Both workers said they experienced intense pain during their illnesses, and one worker had to have a section of lung removed. Tests performed on a ceiling tile confirmed the presence of histoplasmosis fungus.
The university denies any negligence in performing repairs or protecting its employees. A court will decide the matter, but it is a cautionary tale for Philadelphia business owners and residents who may have experienced water damage to roofs during the heavy icing that damaged many Philadelphia buildings this winter. If you fear exposure to histoplasmosis or other diseases that may have resulted from building damage or repair, a Philadelphia personal injury attorney can review your case.
