What Happens if My Home Termite Inspector Missed Termites?
When you buy a home, having a termite inspection is one of the most important steps between putting an offer on the house and finalizing the sale. During that period, a home termite inspector’s job is to help you understand what you are purchasing. Most homeowners are not builders, structural engineers, or contractors – and need someone else to check for code violations, structural weaknesses and, of course, termite damage.
If you buy a home only to find out later that your home termite inspector made a huge error, you might be entitled to compensation. Termite damage in a newly purchased home can be potentially dangerous. Depending on the age of the house, it could even be grounds to have the house condemned. That means your new home is now a pile of rotting wood.
The termite inspector negligence attorneys at Whitney, LLP can able to help take negligent contractors and inspectors to court and get you compensation for their missed and negligent termite inspection violations.
Missed New Home Inspection Violation Attorneys
If your new home is has termites, even after the termite inspection company gave you the green light to purchase the home, you might have a case against the inspectors. Some inspectors are far less qualified than they initially appear. Some inspectors receive their certifications in quick, simple programs that fail to fully test the abilities and qualifications of the inspectors.
Termite inspectors, specifically, are usually part of some of the largest termite extermination companies in the country, and should know better. The entire point behind hiring a termite inspector before purchasing a home is to prevent yourself from walking into an enormous financial commitment and end up with a home riddled with holes.
Since termites are capable of devouring wood at a significant rate, the damage that your pest control investigator should have been able to find can continue to grow into your first few weeks or months in the home. The sooner you realize something is wrong, the better – and the earlier you get an experienced termite damage lawyer on your case.
Failed Termite Inspection Attorneys
Even if you do not have a new home, but have had it investigated for termites and declared clean, you might be utterly shocked to find termite damage. Some termite inspectors are lazy , and some have even been found to have completely faked investigation procedures. This means that your termite damage may have been brewing for years, and gone completely undetected although you have been paying for inspections that have given you false peace of mind over the years.
Termite inspectors cannot be perfect, but they must at least do their job with a reasonable level of care within industry standards. If your termite inspector performs only a cursory investigation, there is little chance they will actually find any damage. In order to prove your termite damage case, you might need to prove the following elements:
- Your termite inspector, through the contract you signed, owed you a duty to investigate your home with the skill and attention that a reasonable termite inspector should use;
- Your termite inspector breached that duty by failing to use the skill that a reasonable termite inspector would use;
- Because your inspector breached that duty, he allowed termites to continue to do damage to your home; and
- You suffered damages.
In a failed termite inspection, you might be entitled to financial compensation for numerous types of damages. First, you might be entitled to damages based on the contract between you and the termite inspection company. If they failed to fulfill their end of the bargain and inspect your home with adequate skill, they do not deserve to keep the money you paid them to do the inspection.
Second, if your home suffered damage or a decrease in market value, the termite inspection company may be held responsible. For any other costs you faced, such as further extermination or repair fees, costs of moving, or costs for a hotel while your house was fumigated or repaired, you might be entitled to compensation as well.
If termite inspectors failed to find termites that later caused severe damage to your home, contact an attorney right away.
Maryland Termite Damage Attorneys
Hiring an attorney for your termite damage case can help you fight to get the compensation you deserve. Negligent termite inspection companies do not deserve your money, and do not deserve to walk away after putting your home and family at risk. Talk to the termite home inspection attorneys at Whitney, LLP today to see what you might be entitled to in compensation.
Initial consultations are free. Call (410) 583-8000 today to talk to our attorneys, or use our Quick Contact Form.
