Laughlin, NV (July 10th, 2025) – The Southern Nevada Health District is actively probing Legionnaires’ infections tied to guests who recently stayed at Harrah’s Laughlin Casino & Resort.
Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks linked to hotels aren’t just headlines—they’re real threats. According to the Southern Nevada Health District, three individuals who stayed at Harrah’s Laughlin this past May were hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease. Two have since been released; the third remains under care. Environmental tests at the property confirmed the presence of Legionella bacteria, prompting immediate health alerts.
Health Officials Link Harrah’s Laughlin to Legionnaires Infections
This is not the first time Southern Nevada has been the site of a Legionnaires’ outbreak. But when the bacteria are found in a high-traffic casino and hotel like Harrah’s Laughlin, the risks multiply, especially when guests travel in and out of the area before symptoms set in.
After the infections were reported, the health district initiated an investigation and directed Harrah’s to test its water systems. Those tests came back positive for Legionella. In response, Harrah’s launched a disinfection protocol and conducted follow-up testing. Caesars Entertainment, which owns the resort, stated that those subsequent tests were negative and emphasized that remediation was completed according to health authority guidance.
Despite those measures, the hotel may still face scrutiny for whether it could have prevented the outbreak in the first place. Guests who stayed at the property on or after May 1 were urged to complete a confidential survey and to monitor for respiratory symptoms. For many, the exposure window may have already passed by the time the news broke.
Guest Advisory and 14‑Day Symptom Window
The health district is urging guests who stayed at the resort on or after May 1, 2025, to monitor themselves for symptoms and fill out a confidential survey. Legionnaires’ disease can develop within two to fourteen days of exposure. That window is critical for both medical diagnosis and for identifying additional cases that may have gone unreported. Individuals who experience symptoms, especially those with underlying health conditions, should seek immediate care and inform their provider of the potential exposure.
Understanding Legionnaires’ Disease
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of severe pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. It poses a serious health risk when conditions allow the bacteria to grow and spread through water systems, especially those in large, commercial properties such as hotels, casinos, and resorts.
How It’s Contracted
Legionella bacteria become dangerous when they multiply in building water systems and are then dispersed through fine water droplets or aerosols. These droplets can be inhaled when someone uses a shower, walks past a decorative fountain, or relaxes in a hot tub. The disease is not spread from person to person. Rather, exposure comes from breathing in contaminated water vapor. The complex plumbing and large water systems found in hotel resorts make them particularly susceptible to this kind of bacterial growth, especially if they are not carefully managed.
Risk Factors and Symptoms
While anyone can contract Legionnaires’ disease, the illness tends to affect older adults and people with underlying health conditions more severely. Individuals over the age of 50, those who smoke or have smoked, and people with compromised immune systems, including those with chronic lung disease, kidney issues, or diabetes, face the greatest risk of serious complications.
The symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease can resemble those of other types of pneumonia. Most people experience a persistent cough, fever, and shortness of breath. Others may develop muscle aches, headaches, or gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea. Because these signs can be mistaken for less serious conditions, prompt medical evaluation is essential, particularly for recent guests of the affected property.
Hotel Responsibility: Preventing Legionnaires’ Outbreaks
Hotels and resorts are legally obligated to keep their premises reasonably safe for guests. To this end, they must take steps, including monitoring and maintaining their water systems, to prevent the growth and spread of harmful bacteria like Legionella. When they fail to do so, the consequences can be serious—for both guests and the property’s legal standing.
Before outbreaks occur, hotels are expected to implement water safety plans that include regular testing and preventive maintenance. Such measures include monitoring water temperature, disinfecting pipes, cleaning cooling towers, and ensuring that plumbing systems are not stagnant or underused. These systems should be reviewed by qualified professionals who understand how Legionella grows and spreads.
Legal Obligations and Guest Rights
Under Nevada’s premises liability laws, hotels can be held accountable if a guest is harmed because of negligent maintenance. If a guest contracts Legionnaires’ disease as a result of a hotel’s failure to test or treat its water system, that hotel may be liable for the resulting medical costs, loss of income, physical pain, and emotional harm.
To establish liability, a civil claim must typically show that the hotel failed to meet accepted safety standards, that this failure led to exposure, and that the exposure caused the guest’s illness. In the case of Harrah’s Laughlin, the health district’s confirmation of Legionella in the hotel’s water system, alongside guest hospitalizations, could become central if victims file a Legionnaire’s disease lawsuit.
What You Should Do If You Stayed at Harrah’s in May
If you stayed at Harrah’s Laughlin during or after May 1, 2025, and later developed symptoms like coughing, fever, or shortness of breath, it’s important to act quickly. Seek medical attention and mention your stay to your doctor. Early diagnosis can make a significant difference in recovery.
In addition to medical care, you should consider notifying the Southern Nevada Health District by completing their confidential survey. Doing so not only supports the ongoing investigation, but also helps establish a record of your exposure.
Documenting your stay, medical visits, and any correspondence with the resort or public health officials can strengthen any potential claim. An experienced Nevada Legionnaire’s disease lawyer can walk you through your options, request records, and help determine whether the hotel’s actions or inaction led to your illness.
Legal Options for Guests Harmed by Legionnaires’ Exposure
In situations like this, legal action isn’t just about recovering costs. It’s also about accountability. Guests harmed by exposure to Legionella may be eligible to file a Las Vegas hotel injury claim or participate in a larger lawsuit against the property owner. These cases often involve expert analysis, public health records, and a detailed review of the hotel’s safety practices.
If you believe you were exposed during your stay or have since developed symptoms, don’t wait. Your health comes first, but protecting your rights matters too. Whether you’re facing medical bills, lost wages, or long-term complications, legal help is available.
George Bochanis Injury Law Offices represents individuals harmed by unsafe hotel conditions and waterborne illness. We can help you hold negligent hotel operators accountable. Call us today at 702-388-2005 or visit our office in Las Vegas to discuss your case.
