To some, the idea of suing someone over bed bugs may seem ridiculous. But to those who have suffered harm because of bed bugs at someone else’s apartment or hotel room, the idea of recovering damages does not seem ridiculous. At all.
Bed bugs can not only ruin your vacation and cause emotional distress, but also leave scars for the rest of your life. This happened to a Southern California family, whose baby was left with permanent scars due to a bed bug infestation while renting an apartment. Guess what? The family was awarded $1.6 million.
“So yeah, this kind of answers your question whether or not it is possible to sue over bed bugs in California,” says our Los Angeles personal injury attorney at the Compass Law Group, LLP If you have been attacked by bed bugs at a hotel room or someone else’s apartment (or anywhere else, for that matter), you may have a personal injury case on your hands.
Yes, suing over bed bugs is possible
However, not all bed bug bites are worthy of litigation. Like in the case where the Southern California family was awarded $1.6 million, in which the baby was left with permanent scars, you will have to prove that the bed bugs caused you serious harm, injury, or other damages.
One of the most notable lawsuits involving bed bugs was when 16 tenants won a whopping $3.5 million verdict against Park La Brea Apartments in Los Angeles earlier this year. The most bizarre thing about this case was that the combined medical costs totaled only about $2,200.
Where can you expect bed bugs besides beds?
“You never know if there are bed bugs lurking in your hotel bed,” says our experienced personal injury attorney in Los Angeles. “In fact, the hotel you are staying at is not the only place where you can be bitten by bed bugs during your vacation.”
Planes, trains, buses, BlaBlaCar, Lyft and Uber cars, hotels, apartments, Airbnb rentals, houses, and even movie theaters. You can be attacked by bed bugs pretty much anywhere, and yes, you may be entitled to file a personal injury claim to seek monetary compensation.
However, the most common place where you might encounter bed bugs are… beds, obviously. With an increasing popularity of Airbnb rentals, vacationers and tourists are more exposed to this problem than ever before.
What to do if you have been bitten by bed bugs?
If you believe that you have been a victim of bed bugs, it is important to seek medical attention and document your injuries with photos and videos as soon as possible.
Write down the dates and times when you noticed the bites or other injuries. In order to ensure that the bed bugs do not leave behind permanent scars or cause other complications, it is highly advised that you show your bites to a medical professional as soon as possible. Keep the receipts and checks for medical expenses.
As soon as you noticed the bed bug bites, do not hesitate to notify the authorized agent, manager, and/or the owner where you are staying or living. In addition to notifying the appropriate party verbally, it is highly advised to follow up with a written complaint by email or letter.
What damages can be recovered after a bed bug infestation?
Even if bed bug bites resulted in nothing more than a rash, you may still be entitled to recovering compensation from the responsible party. Our Los Angeles personal injury attorney explains that if you had to take time off work or other activities to deal with the problem of bed bugs, you may be able to seek compensation for that.
Emotional distress caused by bed bugs may also be recoverable as part of your complaint against the liable party. Also, do not forget that bed bugs can cause damage to your personal property. Therefore, if your clothing, luggage, mattress, sheets, pillows or any other personal property has been damaged, you may be able to recover damages for having to get rid of the items infested by bed bugs.
Have you been a victim of bed bugs? Do not hesitate to consult with our lawyers at the Compass Law Group, LLP about whether or not you can sue the responsible party and recover compensation.
