Bed bugs are small insects that live by feeding on human blood. They are evasive, meaning that they hide in cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboards, and bed frames during the day. At night, they emerge from their dens to feed. While bed bugs don’t spread disease, they lead to other health issues.
They may cause injuries or irritation in individuals through biting. Bite responses can range from a small bite mark to a skin patch. At times, the injuries can be severe and cause insomnia or severe allergic reactions. Bed bugs are almost impossible to eradicate.
Bed bugs can leave hundreds of painful bites and permanent scarring on their victims. The mental effects can be severe. In some people, psychological effects resulting from bed bug biting include flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and personal dysfunction.
Bed bug problems are becoming more common in apartments, shelters, rooming houses, hotels, cruise ships, buses, trains, and dorm rooms. If you’ve been exposed to these parasites, you might be able to file a lawsuit and recover compensation for the injuries you’ve sustained.
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Not All Bed Bug Bites Are Worthy of Litigation
Source: pammillerlaw.com
Bed bugs and other types of infestations are the responsibility of the property owner, no matter the cause of the infestation. If you have identified a problem, reach out to the landlord or building management immediately. Property owners have a duty to provide habitable living conditions, so they must pay for the extermination of the bed bugs. Equally, hotel owners and operators are liable for bed bug injuries attributable to neglecting property cleaning.
There’s been a rising trend in bed bug litigation whereby people sue for millions of dollars. The outcome is a bad reputation and loss of income. It goes without saying that not every bed bug bites are worthy of litigation. You might be able to sue ownership if they knew about the existence of the bed bug infestation and failed to take appropriate measures.
Depending on where you stayed, if you can prove your injuries were caused by the negligent actions or omission of the property owner, you can bring a lawsuit against that person. They’ll be liable to pay for your medical expenses and reimburse you for any damages you might have suffered.
Victims Of Bed Bug Bites Have a Certain Time Period to File a Claim
Source: dcspestcontrol.com
Bed bug infestations represent a legitimate concern in public facilities. Every state has set a legal deadline for filing personal injury claims. Florida, for instance, imposes a four-year statute of limitations to file a claim against the at-fault party in a court of law. If a lawsuit isn’t filed within this timeframe, the court will refuse to hear your case. It’s important to contact personal injury lawyers, who can evaluate your case.
In the long run, this will benefit you. According to the experts at accidentfirm.com, you may have more or less time, depending on the specifics of your situation. As a rule of thumb, you shouldn’t wait too long to seek justice because your risk losing valuable compensation.
Insurance companies try to settle these claims by offering a small amount of money in exchange for a signed release of liability. The presentation of evidence allows both parties to evaluate their positions and figure out whether appropriate settlement terms exist.
Only personal injury lawyers have the necessary expertise to negotiate a settlement. After having examined the evidence, a lawyer can determine if there’s a viable case for a monetary settlement or a judgment in the plaintiff’s favor.
Bed Bug Injuries Should Be Documented ASAP
Source: pointepestcontrol.net
You need to document your bed bug injuries if you want a fair outcome. Immediately after discovering the bed bug infestation, document everything and inform the person who is responsible for what happened. It’s necessary to have evidence such as photos and videos of the bed, the bugs, and, of course, the scarring. The property owner is allowed a certain period of time to rectify the situation.
Nonetheless, some states offer immediate remedies against landlords or hotel owners who knew about the situation, yet chose to ignore it. We’re talking about cases of severe negligence, in which there’s a lack of care in ensuring the premises are safe.
It’s paramount to seek medical attention for the bed bug injuries sustained. Without a proper diagnosis, it’s hard, if not impossible to prove the bites came from the bed bugs. The doctor will check the appearance of the bites on the body and take your medical history.
The healthcare professional might prescribe a topical treatment or an antihistamine pill. Regardless of what happened, write a complaint letter and try to obtain a copy of that letter. When the situation is significant, it’s obvious that having some kind of document at hand matters.
What Damages Can Be Recovered for Bed Bug Bites?
Source: healthline.com
The damages that can be recovered from a bed bug bite lawsuit will vary by case, state, and who the responsible party is. They typically include the following:
- Costs related to the destruction of the property
- Costs related to relocating from an infested place
- Costs related to the hotel stay
- Medical bills
- Counseling bills
- Lost wages
Emotional distress can also be recoverable as part of the complaint against the property owner. Also, it’s important not to forget about pain and suffering. Bed bug bites aren’t just annoying. They’re a legitimate injury in the eyes of the law. Any substantial physical pain or mental anguish may qualify as pain and suffering. There’s no set formula for determining the worth of a case, but some factors are taken into account.
For example, the number of bed bug bites indicates the severity of the injury. Here’s another example. If the landlord or hotel owner knew something about the infestation and didn’t act accordingly, that helps a lot in determining compensation.
In some cases, it can take years to receive the compensation you’re entitled to. The good news is that you stand to receive ample compensation if the defendant is found guilty. When hiring a lawyer, you can eliminate the guesswork.
