There is always the potential for pests to be present in areas that are frequented by a lot of people. It is hard to keep high-traffic areas clean all of the time, and those tasked with the job may not be able to keep up. While this is true of hotels and motels, it is also relevant when discussing taxi cabs. Taxi cabs have a large number of people sit in them each day, and there is no telling where each comes from; the customer may easily bring in unwanted pests, and the taxi cab driver may not be aware of this until much later. One of the most problematic pest infestations that can occur in a taxi cab is that of bed bugs. Bed bugs are not only present in beds; they can spread to other locations as well. At Normandie Law Firm, we know that bed bugs can cause devastating consequences and may force you to put your life on hold while you sort out the issues they cause. You deserve compensation for an incident of bed bugs stemming from circumstances beyond your control, and the taxi cab driver or company should be held responsible. Our clients often call us with questions about bed bug claims in taxi cabs; some examples of these questions include:
- Can I sue if I was bitten by bed bugs in a taxicab?
- Can I file a lawsuit if I was bit by bugs in taxi?
- Can I sue if I was bit by a tick inside a taxi car?
Bed Bugs Information
Bed bugs are pests that feast on human blood. They are small insects, only about 1 to 5mm in size; they can fit on the face of a dime, for instance. They are reddish-brown and flat bodied. Sometimes, people confuse them for fleas, but fleas are rounder and can jump. Bed bugs can only crawl from one place to the other.
The common misconception regarding bed bugs stems from their name. Many people hear bed bugs and assume they are only present in beds – this is simply not true; bed bugs can be anywhere that people rest, including on couches, in dressers, in closets, and on seats. Bed bugs nesting in the dark, damp folds of seats in cars can be hard to locate and identify, but if they are in a taxi cab, you know there is not much area to cover.
To find out if you are near a nest of bed bugs, look for certain traits that are dead giveaways. For instance, if you spot any dark stains on the fabric or locate tiny cream colored eggs, there may be bed bugs; further, exoskeletons of juveniles can indicate that there is an infestation. The nests are almost never out in the open; they are often present in places that are not readily visible, such as under the floor mats, between the seat and the door, or behind the seat itself.
Bed bugs are nocturnal creatures that come out to feast on human blood when the human is asleep. Their bite is generally unnoticeable due to the anesthetic property it has, and once they open the skin, the blood continues to flow due to the anti-coagulating agent present in their saliva. The bite marks are usually left in a zig zag pattern and do not show up as red marks that may itch until a few days have passed by.
This is one of the chief reasons it is so difficult to pursue a claim against a taxi company – symptoms of the injury you sustained in the cab may show up well after the fact, and you may be unable to gather the necessary information you need to file a lawsuit. However, an attorney with experience handling bed bug claims can assist you.
Lawsuit Information
If you are a passenger in a taxi cab, you may be able to file a claim against the company for damages accrued by bed bugs. Passengers in taxi cabs are to be given the highest duty of care by the driver and the company. This means that you will be made safe and will protected throughout the journey. If there are any actions that occur that jeopardize this safety, there may be opportunities for financial compensation.
In order to file a lawsuit for bed bugs in a taxi, you must be able to prove four points of negligence. They are:
- The taxi cab company owed you a duty of care. As a common carrier, the company does owe you the duty of protection. You are placing your trust in another person, likely a stranger; thus, your safety is of paramount important, and the company must follow through on its promise to bring you to your destination.
- The duty of care was breached. A driver who does not properly clean his vehicle at the end of his shift, or at a reasonable convenience, can be said to have breached his duty of care. He allowed bed bugs or other pests the opportunity to nest in his car and did not take the necessary steps to protect customers from the creatures.
- The breach resulted in an incident of some sort. That is, the refusal or unawareness to clean the vehicle allowed the bed bug infestation the opportunity to wreak havoc on you.
- The incident led to specific injuries. You may have receive numerous bed bug bites around your body, and just as terrible, you may have carried some of them home with you, spreading the infestation around your home and contaminating your living quarters.
A lawyer to sue the taxi company can help you prove these points and bring you a fair settlement for your damages.
Compensation for Pest Injuries
Although bed bugs are common, other pest damages can occur as well. It is important that you enlist the help of an experienced lawyer to sue the taxi company for these damages; you may not be able to earn anything for your injuries if you attempt to fight alone. Let our Los Angeles law firm help you. We will be able to bring you compensation for:
- Medical expenses, including surgery, hospitalization, medication, and more. If an infection came about from bug bites and you need additional medical procedures, those future costs can be covered as well.
- Lost wages that may have been missed out on due to absent days from work. You may have been absent because of your injuries, need to fumigate your home, or to go to doctor’s appointments.
- Property damage, which can cover anything that was damaged and needed to be replace, repaired, or thrown away.
- Pain and suffering, or emotional damages. These damages cover the mental side of an incident, and fear, anxiety, PTSD, and psychological trauma can all be compensated for. Dealing with a bug infestation and suffering bites can lead to a breakdown, especially if the experience is particularly traumatizing.
Our attorneys in Los Angeles will work tirelessly to make sure you are covered all the way around if you are bitten by bed bugs in a taxi cab or if you bring any pests home after traveling.
Normandie’s Role in your Life
If you have been bit by an insect while riding a taxi, contact our Los Angeles lawyers today. We will relentlessly pursue a settlement for you and will keep negotiating with the taxi company until you receive compensation you are satisfied with. Our team at Normandie Law Firm is experienced in handling bed bug claims and we know our way around the law – we believe that the taxi company should be held responsible for the inaction or inattentiveness of its drivers. Bed bugs are a serious problem, and you deserve fair restitution for your damages.
Call us today for a free legal consultation with an expert attorney. You can ask any questions you want about the legal process and we will gladly give you any information you need. We believe that all our clients should be well informed about the law regarding the claim they are filing, and we feel it is our duty to give you advice as well as represent you in court or in claims with insurance agencies.
Further, we offer you a zero fee guarantee on all claims that come through our doors. You are not required or asked to pay any money out of pocket for our legal services; our payment only comes if we win your case, and it is taken from the settlement itself. The defendant, in essence, winds up paying your legal fees. If we do not win your case, we take no money at all, and you walk away without owing anything.
Contact Normandie Law Firm today to speak to an accomplished attorney regarding your bed bug claim.
