Bed bugs are a nuisance that can torment your family for weeks or months if you do not address the issue. You can get the creatures from numerous sources – which can make it difficult to pinpoint the target of a lawsuit. If you are certain of the reason your home was infested by bed bugs, or if you stayed somewhere where bed bugs were present, you would have a good basis for a bed bug lawsuit. Our team of expert attorneys at the Bed Bug Legal Group in Alabama can help you file a claim against the responsible party. If you need a bed bug lawyer in Montgomery, Birmingham, Mobile, or any other Alabama city, you do not need to look any further.
Bed Bug Information
Bed bugs are creatures that are very small, only about 1.5mm in size, that feast on blood. They are a reddish-brown color and can only move by crawling. Some people confuse them with fleas because of the propensity for bites from both insects, but fleas are larger and can jump great distances. Bed bugs are hardy creatures and can go months without a meal; this is one of the principle reasons it is so hard to eradicate them, as they may not emerge for long periods of time, leading you to believe they have been fully exterminated.
The creatures tend to come out at night when their victims are sleeping so they can feast on the blood in peace. Their bites have an anesthetic quality to them that prevents you from feeling the discomfort, as well as an anticoagulant that keeps your blood from clotting. They may bite numerous times in a single night, leaving a unique zigzag pattern on your skin, before retiring back to their nests where they can rest, engorged with blood.
The nests are usually in places that you have to actively search for. Many times, they are present under baseboards, behind electrical outlets, behind picture frames, in the creases of mattresses, beneath box springs, behind curtains, and inside couches and sofas. They prefer these areas because they are dark, damp, and often close to their victims.
In order to detect bed bugs, you need to look for their nests; indicators include the presence of exoskeletons from juvenile bed bugs, small eggs that are cream colored, brown droppings, and stains on the mattress or the sheets.
For a bed bug attorney in Montgomery, Birmingham, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, or other city in Alabama, contact our law firm.
Locations of Bed Bugs
Perhaps the most common location of bed bugs is a hotel or a motel. These establishments rent rooms to travelers, but the rooms are not always properly cleaned and taken care of. Even a cursory cleaning could overlook and miss the presence of bed bugs, which would not be discovered without careful examination. Even though the sheets and blankets of the beds are usually changed, the sofa cushions, fitted sheets, mattresses, and throw covers are seldom switched out or washed. Once an infestation has taken hold, it usually requires an extermination more than a simple cleaning.
Bed bugs may also be present on train cars and buses, brought to these locations by luggage, suitcases, handbags, and clothing. It can be extremely frustrating to suffer bed bug bites on these transports because of how fleeting the rides are. You also may not be able to effectively sue if you cannot prove that the particular transport you took had an infestation and caused you harm.
Acquiring Evidence
In order to prove that you were harmed by bed bugs at an establishment, you must show that the creatures were present and that you were bitten. If you suspect bed bugs somewhere, you should immediately search the area, including every nook and cranny, until you find the nests. Once you do, take photos of the nests and the creatures. You should not alert the manager or owner of the property until you have taken enough pictures and videos, or they may usher you out so they can clean and offer you reimbursement. Be careful not to take this offer or it can be used against you when filing a claim.
You should also take pictures of the bites as they appear on your body. If you were not aware of the bed bugs at the location, you may have trouble retroactively acquiring evidence. The bites do not usually show up immediately and can take some time before they become fully visible and apparent.
Once you have acquired all the evidence, you should reach out to a bed bug lawyer in Montgomery or Birmingham for more help.
Filing a Claim
If you choose to file a lawsuit against the negligent property owner, you should be aware that you have a statute of limitations by which to abide. Personal injury lawsuits can usually be filed within two years of the injury, so if you take too long, you won’t be able to seek any compensation at all.
When you hire a lawyer, you will have a better chance of proving your case. You must be able to show that the property owner owed you a duty of care that was breached, which led to an accident or incident that resulted in physical harm. If you stay at a hotel, for example, the property owner is required by law to ensure that you are not subjected to any dangers or health violations His choice to not fully clean a room or have an exterminator remove bed bugs would be evidence of his breach of duty, and your attack and ensuing bites would be enough to show that an incident caused harm.
Compensation for Bed Bug Injuries
If you have been victimized by bed bugs while at a hotel or another establishment, you have the right to sue for financial compensation. This compensation can cover numerous types of damages resulting from the incident. You may be able to receive restitution for:
- Medical bills, in the event that your bites required you to go to the hospital for treatment. Additional medical procedures can also be covered.
- Property damage, if the bed bugs latched onto your luggage or belongings and went to your home, which caused you to throw out numerous pieces of furniture and clothing. You may also have the extermination costs taken care of by the responsible party.
- Lost income, if you had to miss work due to the infestation and ensuing debacle. You may also be covered for future lost income.
- Pain and suffering, which includes the mental stress and psychological trauma induced by the incident.
You should not attempt to pursue a bed bug lawsuit by yourself. It requires a lot of time and energy to negotiate with insurance agents and to prove your evidence is factual and objective, and that you deserve the fullest compensation. An experienced bed bug lawyer in Birmingham or Montgomery can assist you.
We Are Here To Help
Our team of attorneys at the Bed Bug Legal Group takes care of all clients from Montgomery, Birmingham, Mobile, Tuscaloosa, and more. We strive to help our clients receive the fairest compensation possible for their damages; our goal is to bring you the maximum restitution available under the law, whether that means aggressively negotiating with insurance agents until an offer is acceptable or taking your case to court to win a verdict in front of a judge and jury. Our primary concern is your health and your wellbeing, and financial wellbeing is included.
Call us today to schedule a free consultation with an expert bed bug lawyer in Alabama. You can learn more about bed bug lawsuits, personal injury claims, and what kind of compensation you can earn. We will look over your case and tell you what we believe we can bring you in a settlement.
If you choose us to represent you, we will offer you our zero fee guarantee, which states that you will not have to pay any out of pocket expenses for our services. We will only get paid if we win your case, and the fees will be taken from the settlement we bring you. If we lose, you won’t owe us anything whatsoever, and you will be off the hook altogether.
Contact our law group, the Bed Bug Legal Group, for more assistance filing a lawsuit against the responsible party.