Maryland Terminix Termite Inspection Lawsuit Attorney
Terminix is one of the largest and best known pest control companies in the United States. Unfortunately, Terminix does not always provide the quality of service its customers rightfully expect. Homeowners have sued Terminix for termite damage, with some lawsuits against Terminix resulting in very large settlements or jury verdicts. Though the details of each case differ, a common theme arises in Terminix litigation: failure to detect costly and destructive terminate infestations, with allegations of negligence or fraudulent inspection practices.
If you are a resident of Maryland, and Terminix failed to detect termites or termite damage in your home or condominium, you may be able to get compensated for property damage, home repair expenses, and other financial losses. The experienced attorneys of Whitney, LLP handling Termininx termite lawsuits can help you exercise your legal rights as a homeowner.
For a free legal consultation about suing Terminix for termite property damage, contact Whitney, LLP at (410) 583-8000. Our law firm handles termite litigation throughout Maryland.
Suing Pest Inspection Companies for Termite Damage
When Terminix enters a contract with a Maryland homeowner, the company assumes responsibility for performing certain duties and meeting certain standards. If Terminix fails to meet these duties or standards, and the homeowner sustains financial losses as a result, Terminix may be liable, and the homeowner may be entitled to financial compensation. When you contact Whitney, LLP for your free legal consultation, we can assess your situation to determine whether you have a case against Terminix for termite damage to your house or condominium.
If a termite inspection company failed to detect an infestation of your property, one of two issues may have occurred: Negligence, or Fraud.
Negligence, which the plaintiff must prove, is a legal concept that repeatedly arises in all types of civil lawsuits. Negligence has four individual components:
- Duty of care. Terminix has a contractual obligation, or duty of care, to provide certain pest inspection services to the homeowner.
- Breach of duty. Terminix may have breached its duty of care by failing to detect a termite infestation during inspection.
- The homeowner must show that Terminix’s failure to perform adequate pest inspection services caused or exacerbated damage to the property.
- Terminix’s failure to adequately inspect the property must have resulted in harm to the homeowner, such as structural damage and financial losses.
The plaintiff is responsible for proving these facts, which is called having a “burden of proof.” Your Maryland termite attorney will compile comprehensive evidence to support your allegations against Terminix, and will present this evidence to the court in a compelling, detailed manner. To make an argument in a termite damage case based on negligence, the argument would generally be that the termite company did not act as a reasonable termite company would have done in a similar situation.
Fraud is the intentional failure to perform a service in a way that meets the applicable standards. An example might be deliberately using faulty or defective inspection equipment, or otherwise failing to conduct a thorough inspection, as a way of cutting costs for the company.
If a pest inspection company, such as Terminix, acts fraudulently, the homeowner may be entitled not only to compensatory damages, such as compensation for home repairs, but also punitive damages. Unlike compensatory damages, which simply compensate losses, punitive damages are meant to punish a defendant for fraudulent acts.
Do I Need an Attorney to Sue Terminix?
Neither state nor federal law requires homeowners to have legal representation when suing a pest inspection company. However, homeowners are urged to consult with an experienced termite damage attorney before pursuing legal action against Terminix or similar businesses. Like any large corporation, Terminix will defend itself with an aggressive team of experienced attorneys whose job is prevent or mitigate profit losses. This creates an almost insurmountable barrier to recovery for persons who lack legal representation of their own.
A Terminix lawsuit lawyer can level the playing field and protect your best interests, which involves investigating the damage, analyzing potential violations of consumer protection laws, and advising you of the possible outcomes to various legal strategies. Additionally, your attorney can draw upon an extensive network of technological resources to build evidence and strengthen your case. For example, your Terminix termite lawsuit attorney can consult with other pest control companies and entomologists and perform a technical analysis of the structural damage to your property.
Without an attorney, you risk falling victim to deceptive or misleading arguments about the nature and quality of the services rendered, undermining your ability to prove your case and recover the compensation you deserve. For instance, the company might claim that your actions were to blame for the infestation in an effort to avoid liability. It is in your best interests to be represented against Terminix and other termite inspection companies by an experienced litigation attorney who understands consumer protection laws and pest control industry regulations, and knows what strategies to use for demonstrating fault and liability in termite damage negligence and fraud cases.
Contact Our Maryland Terminix Termite Inspection Lawsuit Lawyers
If Terminix failed to detect termites after conducting an inspection of your home or condominium, or you found termite damage in your home after Terminix had been performing inspections for months or years, you have a right to aggressively pursue compensation for your losses and expenses. The Terminix lawsuit attorneys of Whitney, LLP can help. Our law firm has successfully represented numerous homeowners.
Our law firm handles Terminix termite damage claims throughout Maryland, including Baltimore, Silver Spring, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Annapolis, and beyond.
To discuss your case confidentially in a free legal consultation, contact Whitney, LLP at (410) 583-8000 right away, or use our Quick Contact form and an attorney will be in touch soon to speak with you.
