San Diego Bed Bug Attorneys
Over the past several years, the incidence of bed bug infestations in apartment complexes and hotel rooms in the United States has increased dramatically, and more and more victims of bed bug infestations are filing personal injury lawsuits seeking financial compensation for the extensive damages that can result from an infestation. Victims of bed bug infestations in San Diego often suffer bed bug bites resulting in costly medical bills, destroyed property and significant emotional trauma, as well as ruined vacations and lost wages due to the inability to work, among other damages. If you have suffered bed bug bites in your apartment complex in San Diego, contact our knowledgeable bed bug infestation lawyers at DAG Law Firm today to discuss your legal options. You may have grounds to file a bed bug lawsuit against your landlord or property owner, in order to seek financial compensation for your losses.
Affordable San Diego Bed Bug Infestation Attorney
When a San Diego landlord or property owner rents an apartment to a tenant, the apartment must be habitable, or fit to live in, and that includes ensuring that the property is free of bed bugs and other pests. In fact, California Civil Code § 1941.1 dictates that landlords in California are required by the state to provide “clean premises, free of rubbish, filth, garbage and vermin,” and tenants in San Diego apartment complexes have the right to file a lawsuit against landlords who fail to do so. Furthermore, Knight vs Hallsthammer (1981) 29 C.3rd 46 states that California landlords are obligated to maintain rental premises in a habitable condition regardless of their financial ability, and any landlord who tries to pass off the cost of bed bug treatment as the responsibility of the tenant is in violation of his or her legal obligation to maintain the property. With the help of our qualified bed bug infestation attorneys at DAG Law Firm, you can hold your landlord or property owner responsible for any damages caused by bed bugs and protect your family from further harm.
What are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are small parasitic insects that feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals. They are called “bed bugs” because they prefer to seek shelter in dark places in human homes, including in sofas, bed mattresses, bed linens, clothing and other soft furnishings. Bed bugs can be found in all types of properties, including private homes, dormitories, apartment complexes, shelters, army barracks, cruise ships and more, and they feed on their hosts while they are asleep. Bed bugs need to feed regularly in order to reproduce, lay eggs and survive, and while bites from bed bugs can typically be seen right away, they may take up to 14 days to become visible in some cases. The most obvious signs of bed bugs in your apartment complex to watch out for is people complaining of itchy bites that occurred while they were asleep.
Damages Resulting from a Bed Bug Infestation in San Diego
In many cases of a bed bug infestation in an apartment complex, victims are instructed to dispose of their furniture, clothing, carpeting and other belongings in order to rid their apartment of the infestation, which constitutes a significant financial loss. Often, extermination or fumigation becomes necessary, and even this doesn’t always rid the apartment complex of bed bugs. There are a number of long-lasting damages that can result from a bed bug infestation in your apartment complex, including the following:
- Bed bug bites
- Permanent scarring from bites
- Costly medical bills
- Sleeplessness
- Anxiety
- Humiliation
- Significant discomfort
- Property damage
- Emotional distress
- Financial loss
- Lost wages
Determining Liability in a Bed Bug Infestation
You may be able to hold the owner of your apartment complex liable for any physical injuries, emotional trauma and financial losses resulting from a bed bug infestation, especially if the apartment complex owner knew about the infestation and failed to warn tenants. The majority of bed bug infestation claims in San Diego are based on negligence, with victims accusing their apartment complex owners of breach of warranty of habitability and breach of contract, among other charges. In order to prove negligence on the part of the person or party who owns or maintains your apartment complex and hold that person or party liable for your damages, you must show that:
- The property owner owed a duty of care to protect you and other residents from a bed bug infestation;
- The property owner breached this duty of care by failing to provide sanitary living conditions or by failing to notify residents of the existence of bed bugs in the apartment complex; and
- This breach of duty resulted in bed bug bites and other related damages.
Seeking Compensation for an Apartment Complex Bed Bug Infestation
Under California law, victims of bed bug bites have the right to financial compensation for all losses resulting from the infestation, including medical expenses, physical pain and suffering, emotional trauma, past rent, cost of necessary hotel stays and other damages. Punitive damages may also be awarded to punish the property owner or apartment complex management company for acting in reckless disregard for the health and safety of residents. In one recent bed bug lawsuit filed on behalf of a California family whose three-year-old son suffered permanent scarring from a bed bug infestation in the family’s apartment, the jury ordered the owner of the apartment to pay $1.6 million in damages. Another jury in a 2017 case awarded $3.5 million in damages to 16 former and current residents of an apartment complex in California that was infested with bed bugs. In instances where a bed bug infestation in an apartment complex causes injury to several tenants, class action status may be granted by the court. In a class action lawsuit, a lead plaintiff sues a defendant or several defendants on behalf of a group of plaintiffs, all of whom have similar allegations against the defendant.
Free Bed Bug Infestation Consultation in San Diego
Victims of bed bug infestations throughout California have received considerable compensation for their bed bug bites and other damages resulting from the infestation, including costly medical bills and the anxiety and humiliation they suffered, as well as the sleepless nights they endured following the infestation. As California juries continue to award significant damages to victims of bed bug infestations, the number of bed bug claims brought against apartment complex owners, property managers and hotel owners is expected to increase dramatically. If you and your loved ones have suffered damages from a bed bug infestation in your San Diego apartment complex, don’t hesitate to seek legal representation from a qualified bed bug infestation lawyer. Our attorneys at DAG law firm are committed to protecting the rights of bed bug bite victims in San Diego and can help you pursue the financial compensation you deserve for your injuries.
