Premises liability is the component of law that allows a person who suffers injury and losses due to the actions or inactions of another person to recover damages. Bed bugs can create these types of losses. Depending on the situation, you could suffer serious reactions and may face trauma from the experience. You have the right to pursue compensation for your losses, but this is an uphill battle.
By working with a Philadelphia premises liability attorney, you can get help for your hotel bed bug case and hold those who did this to you accountable. Consider several ways the Philadelphia premises liability attorney at Kwartler Manus can be by your side through this process.
Determining Who Is at Fault
One of the first and primary ways a Philadelphia premises liability claim can help you after exposure to hotel bed bugs is to determine who is at fault. In most situations, this will be the hotel owner or manager who failed to prevent the problem or warn of the risk. In a large hotel, there could be several levels of management that hold some level of fault in your accident.
Other situations could apply as well. If the hotel has bedding brought into the facility from a third-party provider, for example, and that creates the risk, that provider could be held accountable as well. Your attorney will investigate what occurred and why, gathering valuable data to hold those who hurt you accountable.
Estimate All of the Losses You Have
Exposure to hotel bed bugs can lead to medical complications. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, bed bugs are a public health issue. Some of the negative effects of exposure include:
- Allergic reactions, which can be severe and life-threatening upon exposure, including anaphylaxis
- Secondary skin infections from a reaction to the bed bug’s bite, including ecthyma, lymphangitis, and impetigo
- Mental health impacts, including anxiety, insomnia, and complicated systemic reactions
Because there is such a risk to health and well-being, you should seek medical care after an exposure if you have any signs of bites and complications from them. It is also critically important for you to determine what additional losses you have.
Additional losses your Philadelphia attorney will help you calculate include:
- Medical bills associated with the care you sought after exposure
- Any complications to your health resulting from the exposure
- Lost wages if you missed time at work due to the incident
- Pain and suffering related to the incident
- Financial losses related to switching hotels or changing travel plans to accommodate
- Emotional trauma and mental anguish from the experience
Every case is a bit different. Your Philadelphia premises liability attorney examines all areas to determine what your losses are. This enables you to know exactly what the at-fault party owes you.
Gathering Critical Evidence as Needed
Your attorney will also seek any additional evidence that helps to bolster your case. For example, they may require workers at the hotel to communicate that they knew there was a risk of bed bugs or even that they reported the concern to the owner prior to your stay. We will seek video and any other data that could help to substantiate your case as well.
Fighting with Insurance Companies
It is very common for hotel insurance companies to fight back against such claims. They may dispute where the bed bugs were, or they may state that your injuries and losses were inaccurate. Our goal as your lawyer is to create a clear claim, back it up with evidence, and then require the insurance company to pay for it. Your lawyer will:
- Provide an evidence-based claim that incorporates all of your losses
- Answer all of the insurance company’s questions about your incident and losses
- Protect your medical information and privacy from abuse
- Negotiate a settlement that is fair to you for all losses you have suffered
Our legal team does not stop at just the easy settlement that the insurance company offers. If your losses are extensive, you deserve to pursue additional costs. We will remain by your side in these situations.
Going to Trial Is an Option
In situations where the insurance company fails to treat you fairly and award you with compensation owed to you, expect our legal team to pursue a lawsuit in a Philadelphia court of law. This allows a judge to make a decision about what your claim should be and hold the at-fault party accountable.
It is rare for a case to go this far. Most of our premises liability claims settle out of court, much faster than the court process. Yet, if it is necessary, expect us to fight for you.
Schedule a Free Consultation with our Premises Liability Attorney in Philadelphia
Put your trust in Kwartler Manus. With years of experience fighting for victims, we will ensure you understand your losses and that the hotel pays for the impact on your health and well-being. Contact us now to set up a free consultation with a Philadelphia premises liability attorney. Let us get to the bottom of what your rights are.