If you have suffered through a bed bug infestation, you may be able to collect financial compensation. Bed bugs are pests that can be present in various places, but some of these locations have a duty to their visitors to not expose them to any dangers. This exposure is also likely a violation of health codes. Victims of bed bug bites should take legal action with the assistance of a law firm that specializes in such cases – a law firm like ours, the Bed Bug Legal Group. We have dedicated years to helping those who have been victims of bed bug bites and our attorneys practice all over the state of Arizona. If you require a bed bug attorney in Phoenix, Mesa, Tucson, or Glendale, call our law offices for assistance.
Necessary Information about Bed Bugs
What you need to know about bed bugs is simple: they do not carry diseases or transmit sicknesses like other insects do, but they are extremely irritating and can cause frustrating injuries to your body. Their saliva has an anesthetic in it that causes you to not feel the bites when they happen, and once the creature has begun drinking, it can do so for up to ten minutes thanks to the anticoagulant in its spit, which prevents your blood from clotting. It can then move to another place on your body, usually close by, and repeat the process. These bites are usually in a zigzag formation.
Once the bugs have drunk their fill, they retreat back to their nests. After a meal, the creature can well up to 5mm in size despite only being a few millimeters in length. There, they can rest and digest, not needing to emerge again for another meal for quite some time – they can last weeks or even months in between meals, which can contribute to why so many people are unable to pinpoint just what the cause of an infestation was. They also do not lay many eggs per day, which can result in a less obvious infestation.
Spotting bed bugs is simple – they are reddish brown in color, flat bodied, and round. They can only crawl from one place to another and do not jump like fleas do. Fleas are also generally found on animals and near places where animals stay, like dog beds, kennels, and floor mats. Bed bugs, on the other hand, prefer dark places that are damp and away from the light; they are primarily nocturnal and come out when their victims are sleeping.
If you have woken up with bites on your body, you should try to find if bed bugs were the cause. Some common indicators include the presence of small cream colored eggs, black or brown mounds, or droppings, on the sheets or fabric, bloodstains on the blankets or cushions, and exoskeletons of the juvenile insects.
For more information on bed bugs, call a bed bug lawyer in Phoenix, Mesa, Glendale, or Tucson.
Liable Parties
Depending on the circumstances of your injuries, you may be able to sue the liable party. If you moved into an apartment building that was not properly cleaned and you suffered a bed bug infestation, your landlord could probably be held responsible. Landlords are required to provide safe and healthy living conditions to tenants, and they are required to inspect and clean dwellings before any tenants move in. Some landlords find it easier and more cost-effective to clean as little possible before allowing new tenants to move, but this can backfire and cause a lawsuit.
If you were already moved in and an infestation occurred afterward, you would likely not be able to point to your landlord for any liability. You would have to examine another source, such as a used furniture store if you bought anything from one. Used furniture stores do not always properly clean the items they sell; they may take a shipment or accept a drop off and immediately resell the contents without spending money on necessary clean up. This can lead to the entire store being contaminated with bed bugs. Used furniture stores have a duty to sell you items that are not harmful or pose a threat in any way; although many people take this as meaning the stores cannot sell broken or dangerous furniture, it also means they cannot sell anything that is infested with bed bugs or fleas.
Another instance, and perhaps the most common way of suffering bed bug bites, involves hotels, resorts, lodges, or motels. These establishments have numerous visitors pass through them each day, and even though the cleaning crews are supposed to wash everything after each stay, they sometimes only wash the necessities. This means that bed bugs can create nests in some places that are never targeted, and as a result, wreak havoc on guests. Hotels may have bed bugs hiding underneath the bed, the baseboard, the couch and sofa cushions, and more, as well as behind the headboard, inside the mattress crease, behind electrical outlets, behind picture frames, and even in the carpeting.
If you experience bed bug bites at any of the above locations or somewhere else, reach out to an Arizona bed bug lawyer in Phoenix, Glendale, Tucson, or Mesa today.
Procedure for Evidence
Once you wake up with bed bug bites, it is important that you collect the evidence as quickly as possible. You should search for the nests and take photos of the affected pieces of furniture, as well as snap pictures and videos of your injuries. Detailing the bites is important, and if you go to the doctor to get them checked out, you should hold on to the medical bills showing the damages.
If you are a tenant and aim to hold your landlord responsible, make sure you have the rental agreement and any documents about your lease to show that you are entitled to compensation. If you bought furniture, make sure that you have the bill of sale, receipt, or any credit card statements indicating that you are the rightful owner of the furniture and that the store sold it to you. If you are in a hotel or lodging establishment, do not call management until you have acquired all of your evidence; if you call them prematurely, they will likely usher you out of the room and give you a new one. They may clean the room while you are gone and deny you entry to try and get photos. It is also important that you do not accept any vouchers, coupons, free compensation, deals, or other kind of gift from any of the entities, as doing so can negate your ability to pursue financial compensation through the law.
Call an experienced bed bug lawyer in Mesa, Glendale, Tucson, or Phoenix to learn more about what to do with your evidence.
Damages from a Claim
Fortunately, you may be able to have all the expenses related to your bed bug injuries reimbursed if you hire a skilled attorney. The responsible party could cover your medical expenses, reimburse you for any lost wages at work, cover your damaged property and fumigation costs, and pay for the emotional pain and suffering you endured because of the traumatizing experience.
It is important that you hire an attorney to help you litigate your lawsuit. If you try to handle the case by yourself, you may not have the time or knowledge to win, and the money and dedication required is often outside of your limits. An attorney can take care of your case while you go to work or focus on fixing your home.
Our Law Group
The Bed Bug Legal Group is a team of experienced lawyers that specialize in bed bug lawsuits. We have handled these types of cases for years, and we make sure that we bring our clients the fair treatment they deserve. We will work to secure you the maximum settlement available under the law; our aggressive lawyers will constantly negotiate better deals, and if we do not like what the insurance agency is offering, we are willing to fight for your rights in court in front of a judge and jury.
Call us today to schedule a free consultation with an accomplished lawyer. You are encouraged to ask us any questions about bed bug lawsuits and we will give you the necessary information you need to start your claim. We want you to be well prepared for legal action; no victim should be left in the dark and confused about what to do next.
If you select us to represent you, you will receive our zero fee guarantee on your case, which states that your personal finances will never be touched. Our attorneys will cover the costs of the lawsuit, including hiring expert witnesses to testify on your behalf. If we win your case, our fees will be taken from the settlement we bring you, so in essence, the responsible entity will cover your legal bills as well as your other expenses. If we lose, you owe us no money at all, and we take the losses ourselves.
To speak to an Arizona bed bug lawyer in Phoenix, Mesa, Glendale, or Tucson, reach out to the Bed Bug Legal Group.
100% FREE CONSULTATION