ST. THOMAS – Two separate lawsuits have been filed in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands by women who claim they contracted Legionnaires’ disease after using the hot tub at Secret Harbour Beach Resort on St. Thomas in 2023.
The complaints, filed by plaintiffs Kirsten Nicole Watkins and James Ann Chester, allege that exposure to Legionella bacteria in the resort's water systems during their stay in June of 2023 caused serious and lasting health complications, and that the resort’s failure to properly maintain and sanitize its water systems is what led to their illnesses.
The women were part of a group of five vacationing at the resort, and while Watkins and Chester are the only two of the group to file lawsuits, the complaints allege that all but one of the members of their group were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease following their stay.
According to the complaint, the only individual who was not diagnosed with the illness “did not enter the hot tub, or spent minimal time in the hot tub,” and therefore did not inhale water vapors allegedly contaminated by the Legionella bacteria.
In her complaint, Chester, a resident of Pennsylvania, claims she began experiencing shortness of breath, coughing, chills and fever upon returning home on June 13, 2023. However, these symptoms quickly worsened, and three days later she was transported via ambulance to a hospital in Philadelphia where they diagnosed her with Legionella pneumonia. Chester states she was hospitalized for a week, before being transferred to an inpatient facility for further medical treatment.
Watkins, a Wisconsin resident, claims she began experiencing symptoms consistent with Legionnaires’ disease on June 16, 2023, five days after leaving the resort. In her complaint, Watkins reports worsening symptoms in the weeks following the onset of symptoms – including the entire right side of her body going numb and the loss of motor control of certain limbs. According to Watkins, she was admitted to a Wisconsin hospital in August, where MRI scans confirmed that Legionella bacteria had caused neurological damage. Watkins reports chronic numbness, muscle spasms, and loss of motor function, which she states led to her being unable to work and losing her job.
Both lawsuits claim the resort operators – Secret Harbour Beach Resort, Inc., Secret Harbour Beach Owners' Association, Inc., and Secret Harbour Beach Associates, LLLP – were negligent in maintaining a safe environment for guests. The plaintiffs allege Secret Harbour breached their duty to guests in eight respects, including failure to adequately inspect for Legionella bacteria, failure to adequately treat the water systems with sanitizing chemicals, and failure to warn guests of potential risks.
The plaintiffs, both of whom demanded jury trials, seek compensatory damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life.
WTJX reached out to the Virgin Islands Department of Health about whether any reports of Legionella at Secret Harbour were received, however the department was not immediately able to answer, stating that they would need to look back at their records before commenting.
These lawsuits follow VIDOH’s order to close Hotel on the Cay on St. Croix in January, after two guests were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease and Legionella contamination was detected in multiple water sources.
