Personal Injury Lawyer Assisting Clients Harmed by Bed Bugs in Mississippi
When you pay to stay in a hotel or rent an apartment in Mississippi, you expect the space to be free of bed bugs. You assume that you will not suffer harm because of a bed bug infestation. However, bed bugs are more common that most of us would like to think. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) reports that 99.6 percent of pest control experts have responded to at least one bed bug infestation. The majority of those infestations occur in apartment buildings, homes, and hotels or motels. Bed bugs can survive in Mississippi year-round. Still, a higher percentage of cases occur during the summer months.
You may notice sustained significant bed bug injuries after a recent hotel visit. Or, you may notice an infestation in your apartment that causes injury. If so, you should discuss your options for filing a claim with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) notes that bed bugs cause swelling, inflammation, and rashes. However, individual sensitivity to bed bug bites varies from person to person. These insects often bite all over a persons arms, legs, buttocks, back and any other areas of exposed skin. As such, bed bug bite victims can scratch at the bites, leading to serious infections. Bed bugs are nocturnal. This means they are most active at night. Bed bugs survive solely by feasting on the blood of humans or animals. If you do think you have a bed bug bite, take steps to preserve evidence for your personal injury case:
Take photographs and videos:You should immediately take photographs and videos of your bites. Document any evidence of bed bugs you may find in the location where you were bitten. In addition, you should use your cell phone or camera to photograph and video the bed bugs (dead or alive). Bed bug larvae can appear milky or clear in color, while adult bed bugs will often appear reddish brown. Bed bugs are small, and can sometimes be difficult to detect. If an area is infested, you can typically find bed bugs in mattress seams and crevices, bedding, pillow-cases, and furniture creases and crevices.
Report the incident to the property owner or property manager: If you are staying at a hotel or motel, immediately tell the hotel manager. Request an incident report for your records. If you are staying at a rental apartment, notify your landlord immediately. Then, follow-up with a report in writing to the person you are renting from.
Seek medical attention: If you are able to do so, visit an emergency department or doctors office to have your bed bug injuries diagnosed and treated the same day you discover bed bug bites. By visiting a healthcare provider as soon as possible, you will have medical records that help to date your bed bug injuries to your stay at the hotel or apartment with the infestation.
The statute of limitations in personal injury cases specifies the amount of time a person has from the date of her injuries to file a lawsuit. Under Mississippi law (Miss. Code Section 15-1-49(1)), plaintiffs in a bed bug injury case typically have three years from the date of the bed bug bites to file a claim. Failure to initiate a lawsuit within the statute of limitations can prevent you from filing a personal injury claim. IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONTACT A LAWYER IMMEDIATELY TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS.
As soon as you have documented your bites and received medical attention for your bed bug injuries, reach out to a bed bug injury lawyer in Mississippi to learn more about filing a claim for compensation. The property owner or manager of the premises where the bed bug injuries occurred may be liable. Contact the Harris Law Firm, PLLC to discuss your options.
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Mississippi Bed Bug Lawyer - Harris Law Firm