$1 Million Termite Damage Inspection Verdict in Glen Burnie, MD
Whitney, LLP recovered a $1,068,750 verdict in a case where the Glen Burnie, MD homebuyers, after closing on the property, discovered extensive termite damage. On October 16, 2019, a jury of six residents of Anne Arundel County returned the verdict against William T. Fell, III and his company, Fell’s Pest Control, after a six day jury trial.
Whitney, LLP filed the termite lawsuit on behalf of our clients who decided to purchase a home based on a Wood Destroying Insect / Termite inspection report from William T. Fell and his company. The WDI / Termite report failed to disclose that Fell had previously treated the same property for termites and that the property was under a warranty due to the prior treatment. Upon moving in, our clients discovered termite swarmers and later discovered extensive termite damage to their home.
Legal consultations are always free for termite damage cases.
After finding the termite swarmers, they texted Fell. He then admitted he had treated the property previously, which shocked our clients. It was then that they realized they had been deceived into purchasing a home known to have a termite infestation.
Negligent Termite Inspections by William T. Fell, III and Fell’s Pest Control
The causes of action brought against Fells and his company included negligent misrepresentation and fraud. The evidence supporting these causes of action included that Fells had previously treated the property for termites, and personally performed other work and inspections in areas of the residence that he misrepresented to Plaintiffs were “inaccessible” on the Wood Destroying Insect inspection report
For example, he had performed waterproofing work in a crawl space in the basement that had obvious signs of termite damage, and had done inspections of rafters in the attic where obvious termite damage was present, yet on his Wood Destroying Insect inspection report stated that both areas were inaccessible.
Further, Fell was performing termite inspection without a license at the time he performed the WDI / termite inspection. It is illegal to perform a WDI / termite inspection without a license.
Fraudulent and Negligent WDI / Termite Inspections for New Homes
Pest control companies that perform negligent or fraudulent termite inspections are a huge problem. Failure to locate and disclose signs of termite infestation and damage to potential homeowners causes those buyers to become saddled with expensive termite damage repairs and a potentially unsafe house. Termite inspection companies that are unlicensed when they performed termite inspections, such as William T. Fell and his company, Fell’s Pest Control, are a danger to the community and should be reported to the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
Anne Arundel and Annapolis, MD Termite Damage Repair Lawyer
Termite damage is a severe problem across Anne Arundel County, including in Annapolis, Crofton, Edgewater, Glen Burnie, Jessup, Odenton and Severna Park.
If you are a homeowner and have discovered termite damage, you may have significant legal rights allowing you to recover for the cost of termite damage repair, emotional distress and other related costs. Legal consultations are always free for termite damage cases.
Contact Whitney, LLP’s termite damage lawyers now at 410 583 8000, or use our Online Quick Contact Form.
