Bed Bug Attorney for Salisbury, MD
Residents of Salisbury, MD, enjoy a relatively quiet small-town life. As the county seat of Wicomico County, it is the largest town in the Eastern Shore area. The small communities of Quantico, Delmar and Princess Anne surround the town where locals can visit places like the Salisbury Zoo and the Pemberton Historical Park. Although Salisbury seems far away from the problems of the world, bed bugs lurk here as well. The town has been growing quickly in recent years. Many new housing developments attest to this growth that has pushed the population to roughly 33,000. Unlike many other small towns, the owner-occupation rate for homes is very low at only 29% as of 2017. For this reason, you are likely renting an apartment if you live in Salisbury.
Waking up with a bed bug bite could be the beginning of significant irritation, medical expenses and loss of personal property. You have legal rights when a bed bug infestation causes you to suffer physically and incur financial damages. Maryland law mandates that landlords treat their units for pests and provide housing that is free of bed bugs. Similarly, hotels have the same legal obligation to shield people from these irritating and hard-to-eradicate bugs.
To get an idea of the scale of bed bug damages throughout Maryland, consider that Whitney, LLP has represented bed bug victims who collectively recovered over $11 million in compensation. If you are facing a bed bug problem in or near Salisbury, a bed bug attorney can explain your legal rights. Call (410) 583-8000 for a legal consultation. You will pay no out-of-pocket fees.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
Your exposure to bed bugs might occur even if you keep a clean home. When you travel, you could pick them at a hotel and carry them back to your home in Salisbury, Quantico, Delmar or Princess Anne. Bed bugs, or Cimex lectularius, are very small brown insects that reach an adult size of no more than one-quarter inch. They have oval-shaped bodies and small heads. They might look very flat unless they have recently consumed blood, which bloats them somewhat.
Do Bed Bugs Carry Disease in Salisbury?
Although these biting insects are not known to transmit blood-borne diseases, they can produce medical issues. Most people experience a bed bug bite as a small reddish circle of swelling. These bites can be very itchy, and some people scratch them until they bleed and the skin becomes infected. On rare occasions, people suffer a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis that could require emergency medical care. With a bed bug bite claim, you can pursue damages related to medical bills.
How Do I Find Bed Bugs in Salisbury?
Bed bugs are notoriously good at hiding. They can slip into tiny crevices along the seams and folds of mattresses, furniture or curtains. They also enter luggage, which means that hotels can serve as distribution points. Look through your bedding, furniture cushions and other personal possessions for the bugs or the reddish-brown spots indicative of their excrement. Vacuum your possessions thoroughly to try to extract bugs and eggs. You might have to discard many items to be certain that you have eliminated all of the insects. This loss of personal property can motivate people to speak with lawyers about recovering compensation with bed bug bite claims.
How Do Bed Bugs Get in Apartments and Hotels in Salisbury?
Bed bugs can establish themselves in warm environments. You can get them in your apartment because they first infested an adjoining unit. You can also bring them home after staying in a hotel.
Luggage provides the bugs with places to hide. As travelers come and go, their luggage may introduce bed bugs to a hotel. Due to the high chances of bed bug exposure in hotels, the law requires hotel operators to treat against these pests.
Salisbury, MD, Bed Bug Infestation Lawyer
A Salisbury bed bug attorney at Whitney, LLP can empower you to pursue compensation for your damages. We can investigate the source of the infestation and initiate litigation against the at-fault party. When we pursue a bed bug bite claim on your behalf, you will not pay any out-of-pocket expenses. Consultations are free so that you can learn about appropriate legal actions after exposure to bed bugs in Salisbury or the surrounding area. Call Whitney, LLP at (410) 583-8000 to schedule an appointment or use the online contact form.