When you suffer from a bed bug infestation, you potentially suffer both monetary and non-monetary damages. Landlords, property owners, hotels, furniture rental stores and other establishments in Phoenix have an obligation to protect people from bed bug infestations. When they fail to do so, individuals who suffer from the negligence of those responsible for the bed bug infestation can possibly recover damages associated with their bed bug case in Phoenix.
When you have a bed bug infestation, call for a free consultation to discuss your Phoenix bed bug case and legal representation.
How do I know if I have bed bugs in Phoenix?
Bed bugs hide until they come out of hiding for a blood meal. You can search for them and discover where bed bugs hide in your Phoenix home or hotel.
Bed bugs crawl along baseboards because they cannot usually be seen. Baseboards also provide easy access to electrical outlets and furniture where bed bugs can easily take up residence. Bed bugs hide in more places than just the seams of your mattress. Check under the mattress and box springs, along the frame of the bed. Check dresser drawers and behind wall coverings and pictures for bed bugs.
How can I determine if these bites came from bed bugs?
Bed bug bites look similar to bites from other bugs. However, bed bugs bite several times, usually in a row or zigzag line. They cause severe itching.
The American Academy of Dermatology also points out that bed bug bites can lead to infection from the scratching. Additionally, you can suffer an allergic reaction, suffer from a swollen tongue, an irregular heartbeat and other complications after sustaining bites from bed bugs.
Do bed bugs cause disease?
Bed bugs have the potential to make people very ill. As pathogen carrying vectors, bed bugs have the ability to carry and transmit numerous diseases.
Science Daily points to research conducted by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and their colleagues at Universidad PeruanaCayetano Heredia in Peru, who discovered that “Like the triatomines, can transmit Trypanosomacruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease, one of the most prevalent and deadly diseases in the Americas.” Science Daily explains that this is not the first time that researchers proved bed bugs are pathogen-carrying vectors. In 1912, French parasitologistÉmileBrumpt revealed that he infected 100 bed bugs “Exposed to an infectious mouse, and then used them to infect two healthy mice.”
Some sources still claim that bed bugs do not carry or transmit disease. However, Ricardo Castillo-Neyra, DVM, PhD, co-author of the Penn Medicine study say those sources that ignore bed bugs as pathogen-carrying vectors fail to acknowledge the point that mice can eat bed bugs.
People affected by bed bugs suffer potential mental illness. The National Post explains that a study demonstrates that people suffering from a bed bug infestation are possibly more likely than other people to suffer:
- Depression
- Anxiety disorder
- Sleeplessness
- Panic
- Substance abuse
What kind of damages can I recover due to bed bugs in Phoenix?
Arizona Law requires that landlords “Shall maintain the dwelling unit free of an infestation of bedbugs,” and “The landlord shall not enter into any lease agreement with a tenant for a dwelling unit that the landlord knows to have a current bedbug infestation.” Other statutes also protect tenants, giving tenants the ability to possibly recover damages caused by bed bugs. Negligent hotel owners, furniture rental stores and other at-fault parties also have a responsibility to protect individuals from bed bugs. When they fail to do so, the bed bug lawyers address these issues, potentially helping you recover both monetary and non-monetary damages.
Monetary damages include the cost of replacing furniture, carpet, household and personal items and medical expenses. Non-monetary damages include things such as emotional suffering and embarrassment related to bed bug infestations and bites.
Our office represents victims of Phoenix bed bug bites on a pre-litigation basis. Contact the Phoenix bed bug lawyers for your consultation to discuss your bed bug case and legal representation.