Napa hotel sues over 2022 Legionnaires disease outbreak

Napa Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak Investigated.

Last summer, the Napa County Public Health Service found an unsafe amount of legionella bacteria in a hotel’s cooling tower after several people living nearby became ill.

During the outbreak, at least a dozen people fell ill, one person died.

The lawsuit lists several defendants, including the Embassy Suites in Napa.

The bacteria can spread several miles from the source. None of the hotel guests got sick.

Lawyer Grant Riley filed suit on behalf of Jason Groschart of Calistoga. He said Groschart contracted the bacteria while dining at a restaurant near the Embassy Suites on Fourth of July.

Riley added that Groschart was in the hospital for several weeks and nearly died.

“It really affected his life. This caused significant harm and damage to him and his family,” Riley said. “He wants to make sure that hotels like the Embassy Suites and other buildings in California are responsible and maintain water systems, whether they be bathrooms, pools, fountains or spas, that are healthy and safe.”

Groschart is seeking a jury trial and medical expenses, among other things. Riley added that he was concerned that there might be additional victims who became ill, but did not know they had also become infected.

On Friday, NBC Bay Area reached out to Embassy Suites by Hilton Napa Valley for comment but received no response.