Santa Barbara Bed Bug Lawyer

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Bed Bug Cases in Santa Barbara
Bed bugs are tiny insects that feed off of blood. These bloodsucking bugs are a nuisance in different cities all over the country. Bed bugs thrive in places that maintain a constant temperature between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Most places like offices, movie theaters, hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, motels, and school university dorms—anywhere where someone can sit or sleep—are a potential bed bug hotspot. These places are often temperature controlled, which ensures that they stay at a bed bug-friendly temperature. These places also provide a constant source of food for bed bugs. Bed bugs do not only take over beds; they can be found in sofas, chairs, clothes, and any little crevice.

Why Santa Barbara?

Like many other coastal California cities, Santa Barbara offers beautiful scenery to absorb. It is a popular destination for people all over California, as well as for people out of state. Many cruise lines unload passengers in Santa Barbara, so the city receives a constant influx of tourists. The tourist industry in Santa Barbara County is actually worth $1.4 billion. This means that there are always people coming into hotels and motels. The constant influx of people coming from all over the country and all over the world can pose a problem for hotels and motels.

People coming cruise ships, for example, may have stayed in different places, or sat in many different couches. They may be carrying bed bugs in their luggage or on the clothes on their back. Even if a hotel has never had a bed bug incident, just one tourist can cause a major infestation. It takes just a few bed bugs to get an infestation. A female bed bug is capable of laying anywhere between one and five eggs per day. These eggs develop into adults in about three weeks. By the time the fourth week comes around, a hotel may have a full-blown infestation.

Pests can cause severe injuries to guests. Hotel and motel managers have the responsibility to keep guests safe from pests. This can usually be observed through the hotel or motel’s cleanliness.

Santa Barbara is famous for its university—California State University of Santa Barbara. School dorms are also places where bed bugs can thrive. In some dorms, beds are provided; however, students usually bring their bedding and pillows from home. Even if a student has brought only brand new bedding and pillows, if a roommate brought bedding from home, they may risk getting bed bugs. Bed bugs can cling onto clothes, so if a student sat somewhere with bedbugs, it is possible that he or she may bring the bed bugs back to the dorms.

If you have been injured due to a bed bug infestation, you may be able to file a bed bug lawsuit. Contact Bed Bug Legal Group now and talk to the best Santa Barbara bed bug lawyers.

Injuries Due to Bed Bug Infestation
A single bed bug bite might not really affect a victim. However, when there is an infestation of bed bugs, it is very unlikely that a victim will wake up to just one bite. Pain-killing agents in bed bug saliva prevent sleeping victims from noticing the bite. Anti-coagulants in bed bug saliva also allow them to feed until they are full. This means that bed bugs may have been feeding on your blood all night without you even noticing. A victim of a bed bug infestation may wake up to red, swollen, and itchy skin. Prolonged exposure to bed bugs and their bites can result in more serious injuries like itchy, red welts all over the body. An excess of bed bug bites will also result in extreme discomfort and difficulty sleeping. Not all people will experience the same reactions to bed bug bites. Here is a list of some other effects of bed bug bites:

  • Allergic Reactions—many people are allergic to the proteins in bed bug saliva.
  • Welts, Rashes, Blisters, and scarring—continued exposure to bed bug bites will increase severity.
  • Bacterial Infections—scratching bed bug bites may break the skin, risking bacterial infections.

Bed bug bites usually do not need medical treatment. Anti-itch ointment will help with mild cases of bites. If you feel that your bed bug bites are severe, you should seek medical attention. If a bed bug infestation at a hotel or motel caused your injuries, contact Bed Bug Legal Group for guidance.

Can You Sue for Bed Bugs?
A bed bug attorney in Santa Barbara will help you answer that question based on your specific case and your injuries. Let’s discuss some general information about bed bug laws and suing hotels, motels, or landlords.

Hotels and Motels
California law states that hotels and motels must take preventive measure against pests, this can include routine inspections and exterminations. The law does not, however, prohibit hotels and motels from using the infested room until after it has been exterminated. So, hotels and motels can keep using infested rooms and can keep subjecting guests to bed bug injuries. Common law states that managers have a responsibility to promote guest safety. Like previously stated, management interpretation of this law can be viewed in hotel and motel cleanliness.

If you were bit by bed bugs during your stay at a hotel, you may have asked yourself: Can I sue a hotel for bed bugs? Yes! You can sue the hotel. And if your bed bug bites arose after a stay at a motel, you can also sue the motel.

Rental Homes and Apartments
In residential units, tenants should receive any information on past bed bug incidents prior to moving in. Additionally, upon routine inspections for pests, the landlord is obligated to inform tenants of any finding within 2 business days. Landlords are prohibited from showing, renting, or leasing and unit that are infested by bed bugs.

Can I sue my landlord for bed bugs? Yes, landlords are required to give you all information regarding bed bugs. If you discovered bed bugs in your unit after you moved in, you may be able to sue your landlord. You should have been informed of any bed bug incidents in the unit. You can sue your landlord if he or she withheld bed bug information from you.

Proving Negligence
Hotel or motel managers, and landlords, have the responsibility to ensure that the rooms and units are in habitable conditions. When you book a room, or rent an apartment, the manager or landowner owes you the duty to provide suitable living conditions. A bed bug infestation is equivalent to non-suitable living conditions. A manager or landlord who fails to set up extermination for bed bugs has breached his or her duty to the tenants or guests. This breach of duty can potentially result in further infestation. If further infestation results in your injuries, then you may have a case against the hotel/motel manager or the landlord. You should immediately contact a lawyer to sue.

Filing Your Claim
If you file a lawsuit against the motel, hotel, or landlord, you may be eligible for compensation. Here is a quick list of the compensation you may be eligible to receive.

  • Medical Expense
  • Loss of Wages
  • Pain and Suffering
  • Property Damages
  • Punitive Damages

If you have experienced bites from bed bugs at hotels, motels, or even in your home, you may have a case. Contact Bed Bug Legal Group as soon as possible. Yes, our law firm can sue the hotel, the motel, or the landlord.

Bed Bug Legal Group understands the extent of your suffering due to bed bugs. We want you to come to us and let us help you fight for your rights. We offer all of our clients free consultations; you can come talk to our expert attorneys at no charge. If you already have an attorney elsewhere, you can come to us for a free second opinion.

Bed Bug Legal Group will never make you pay any upfront fees. We offer our clients a Zero-Fee guarantee. We are strictly based on contingency; that means that you will not pay anything unless our skilled lawyers win your case. Contact us as soon as possible.

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