Termites are incredibly destructive to homes, and many Maryland homes are older with wood construction, making them more susceptible to termites. Moisture, wetness and warmth all help termites to thrive. Because these wood-destroying insects feed on and live in houses, they can cause substantial amounts of structural damage.
Termite infestations can develop at any time of year, so it is important to regularly have your home checked. Still, termites are most likely to invade your home from the early spring to the late fall, due to the warmer and moister climate during that time of year. In many cases, however, termites are not simply a natural disaster. A termite infestation may have gone undisclosed by a realtor or home seller, or a pest control company may have failed to discover or exterminate the insects.
Holding Negligent Parties Responsible for Maryland Termite Damage
The cost of negligence for Maryland homeowners can be substantial as they may need to hire termite damage contractors to address the structural damages. The financial costs of termite damage repair can quickly rise into the thousands of dollars. If someone else’s negligence or deception is to blame for your home’s termite infestation, you may be able to obtain compensation for your losses. At Whitney, LLP, our experienced lawyers have secured significant verdicts and settlements for homeowners for their termite treatment costs, repair bills and emotional distress. We secured a verdict of $1,068,000 for one of our clients whose home suffered significant damage as a result of a negligent inspection company’s failure to discover or exterminate an active termite infestation. You can begin by requesting a legal consultation.
One couple we represented was featured by Barry Simms on WBAL, warning against the danger of fraudulent or missing termite inspections when buying a home. In that case, their own real estate agent misrepresented to them that an inspection had occurred, when it had not. Our experienced Maryland termite lawyers have obtained settlements and verdicts from negligent pest control companies, deceptive real estate agents, careless home flippers and fraudulent sellers for the damage caused by termite infestations.
Damage From Termite Infestations in Maryland Homes
While termites are most active during the warmer months, they can survive and continue their wood-damaging activity even through the winter, especially if the temperature in your home or basement does not drop below 50 degrees. There are several ways that you can help to prevent termite activity, including inspecting your gutters, trimming tree branches, removing excess wood debris, sealing your crawlspace and keeping leaves raked away from your home’s foundation. There are many signs that termites could be active in your Maryland home, including an unpleasant odor, sagging floors and ceilings, and tunnels near the exterior of your home’s foundation. In many cases, homeowners may stay alert for signs of infestation, but other parties fail to hold up their end of the bargain. Some pest control companies may be so careless as to miss the signs of termite infestation during an inspection while others may use ineffective solutions to save money while leaving the dangerous insects intact.
Maryland Termite Damage Lawyer
You should not have to pay the substantial costs of termite damage repair due to the negligence of a pest control company, real estate agent, termite damage contractor or home seller. The Maryland termite damage attorneys at Whitney, LLP can work hard to discover who is to blame for your losses and fight aggressively to hold them accountable and secure the financial compensation you need. If you are dealing with damage caused by termites, request your legal consultation today. Call Whitney, LLP at (410) 583-8000 or fill out our online contact form today.