Fort Worth Bed Bug Lawyer

NOTE: Our law firm does not handle Bed Bugs cases. This article is for informational purposes only. Information found in the article does not constitute as formal legal advice and does not create an attorney/client relationship.

How Stephens Law Can Help If You’ve Sustained Bed Bug Injuries in Fort Worth, TX

Landlords, hotel operators, and other property owners have a duty to maintain their property to keep others safe.

If you or a loved one suffered injuries because you were bitten by bed bugs in Fort Worth, TX, you might be entitled to receive compensation.

How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help If You’ve Sustained Bed Bug Injuries in Fort Worth, TX

Even the thought of bed bugs can make your skin crawl. Unfortunately, bed bug bites can leave you suffering from painful injuries. You may require ongoing medical care, not to mention the cost of fumigating your home.

If someone else was responsible, a personal injury lawyer can help you fight to hold them accountable.

Hiring an attorney means you’ll have someone to:

  • Investigate to find out who is legally responsible for your injuries
  • Gather evidence to support your claim
  • Assess your bed bug case value
  • Stand up for you when the insurance company tries to downplay your injuries
  • Handle all negotiations with the insurance companies and defense lawyers

Property owners and insurance companies will fight you every step of the way. A personal injury attorney can help you level the playing field.

How Common Are Bed Bug Injuries in Fort Worth?

Bed bugs are extremely attracted to warm-blooded humans. They tend to hide in clothing, beds, couches, and other protected locations. Initially, bed bugs commonly hide in mattresses, box springs, and bed frames where they have easy access to humans at night.

Unfortunately, bed bugs are common in most major U.S. cities. That includes Fort Worth. Every year, Terminix publishes a report on the top 50 cities for bed bugs in the United States. Dallas-Fort Worth ranked seventh on the 2021 list of worst cities for bed bugs.

What Is My Fort Worth Bed Bug Injury Case Worth?

The value of your case depends on the specific facts and circumstances. No two personal injury claims are exactly the same. You can count on our lawyers to identify all of your damages and fight for the full compensation you need and deserve.

Examples of the factors that are relevant in assessing the value of your personal injury claim include:

  • The nature and severity of your injuries
  • The cost of your medical treatment and anticipated future expenses
  • The impact of the injuries on your work, education, and quality of life
  • The cost of replacing any damaged property
  • Whether you’ve suffered any emotional trauma because of the bed bug infestation
  • The nature of the at-fault party’s actions

Cases involving severe injuries tend to result in higher settlements. Still, the value of your case can be impacted by a number of different factors. For example, if you reported the infestation to your landlord and they didn’t take action, you might be entitled to a higher settlement.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Bed Bug Injury Victims?

Under Texas personal injury laws, damages are grouped into two primary categories: economic damages and non-economic damages. 

Your economic damages are your financial costs. A successful settlement or verdict should provide enough compensation to cover all of the financial expenses you’ve incurred because of the bed bug injuries.

Examples of economic damages include:

  • Past and future medical expenses
  • Lost wages and income while you recover
  • The cost of property repairs or replacing your damaged property
  • Relocation costs if you have to move while your property is fumigated
  • Specialized treatments and therapies
  • Physiological counseling 

Your non-economic damages are the subjective, non-financial losses you’ve incurred because of the bed bug injuries. 

Examples of non-economic damages include:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Diminished quality of life
  • Physical disfigurement and scarring
  • Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
  • Loss of consortium and damage to relationships

The insurance company will probably try to downplay the extent of your injuries. They’ll claim that your injuries were minor or that your emotional suffering isn’t real. A Texas bed bug lawyer can help you fight back.

An Attorney will Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Bed Bug Injuries

Bed bugs are small, brown insects that feed on the blood of humans and other animals. Bed bugs can’t fly, and an adult bed bug is only about the size of an apple seed. Still, you shouldn’t underestimate the damage these creatures can cause.

The severity of your bed bug injuries typically depends on the extent of the infestation and the amount of time you’re exposed. Injuries can also vary from person to person, depending on how sensitive you are to bed bug bites.

Bed bug injury victims often present:

  • Bite marks, cuts, and abrasions
  • Skin rashes
  • Tissue damage
  • Disfigurement and scarring
  • Infections 
  • Allergic reactions
  • Anemia
  • Blisters
  • And more

Victims of bed bug bites can also suffer significant psychological and emotional damage in addition to physical injuries. You may have trouble sleeping at night for months after sustaining bed bite injuries.

Bed bugs can also cause significant property damage to your bedding, clothing, and furniture.

How Do I Prove Negligence After Sustaining Bed Bug Injuries in Texas?

You shouldn’t have to worry about searching for bed bugs every time you stay in a Texas hotel or visit someone else’s property. You should also trust that your landlord is taking proper safety precautions to keep your home free from bed bugs. Still, business owners and landlords often neglect their property to save time and money.

If that’s the case, you may be entitled to compensation under Texas premises liability laws. All property owners in the state of Texas have a legal duty to keep their property free from unreasonable dangers. That includes hazards like bed bugs.

To recover damages, you’ll have to prove the property owner was negligent by establishing:

  • The property owner’s legal duty of care
  • The property owner knew or reasonably should have known about the bed bug infestation
  • The property owner failed to take reasonable steps to fix the problem
  • You suffered damages because of the bed bug infestation

Business owners have a duty to conduct regular property inspections to identify unsafe property conditions, including bed bugs. They also have a duty to fix the problem and keep you safe. 

For example, if you stay in a hotel, the hotel owner should conduct periodic inspections to find any bed bugs and remove the infestation before renting the room.

While bed bugs are most common in hotels, motels, and apartment buildings in Texas, any property owner can be liable for bed bug injuries, including:

  • Building owners
  • Property owners
  • Hospitals
  • Motels 
  • Nursing homes
  • Cruise ships
  • Movie theaters
  • Gyms and spas
  • Daycare centers and schools
  • Government agencies

Bed bugs are a serious public health issue, and you deserve clean and sanitary living conditions.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After Sustaining Bed Bug Injuries in Texas?

It can take time to realize that you have bed bugs. You may have brought them home from a trip and not realized that bed bugs caused your itchy skin. Still, you only have a limited amount of time to take legal action.

Under the Texas statute of limitations, you have two years from the date you discover your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. It’s possible that you may have more or less time, so it’s important to consult an experienced lawyer sooner rather than later.

Contact a Fort Worth Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Our personal injury law firm in Fort Worth, TX provides: