Oklahoma

Oklahoma is the 20^th largest city in the United States, and has a population of close to 4 million.

This state is rich with cultural heritage and tourism, with countless attractions available to visit.

These include The National Cowboy Museum, Oklahoma City Zoo, and Myriad Botanical Gardens.

Economically speaking, Oklahoma operates within a diverse range of sectors including aviation, energy, and electronics. It is also rated one of the most business-friendly states in America, with the 7^th lowest tax burden.

In many ways this state is thriving, but Oklahoma is not without its problems.

One of which is the rise in bed bug infestations that have plagued Oklahoma residents and travelers for years.

Bed Bugs in Oklahoma

Bed bugs have become quite common in Oklahoma…

With an estimated 1 in 15 residents who have personally experienced bed bugs.

Bed bug infestations are most common in locations such as:

• Hotels
• Airbnbs
• Apartments
• Public Transportation
• Hospitals & Schools

If you were victim to bed bug bites in any of the above locations…

You do have options.

Bed Bug Lawyer Oklahoma

From luxury apartment buildings, motels, and even used furniture stores, bed bugs are appearing everywhere.

Whether it be in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, or Edmond…

Under state law, you have a right to seek recovery of damages for personal injury or property damage that occurs.

So if you were injured or suffered financial loss as a result of bed bugs, you may be eligible to receive compensation.

Though the value of your potential payout will depend on the following factors:

The Number of Bites:

If you received 10 or more bites, or if there were multiple victims of a single infestation, this could increase the value of your compensation.

Pain & Suffering:

This involves any physical pain or emotional trauma you experienced as a result of an infestation.

Other symptoms that fall into this category include:

• Anxiety
• Disturbed sleep
• Embarrassment
• Social isolation
• Damage to relationships

Medical Expenses:

The cost of medical attention, whether it be through ER visits, hospital visits, or the cost of medication needed for recovery, will impact the value of your bed bug settlement.

Damage to Belongings:

This deals with whether you had to throw out clothes, furniture, or luggage as a result of bed bugs. It is common for people to throw out personal items because of bed bugs, so this is an important factor in any bed bug case.

Other factors that could impact settlement values include:

• Lost wages
• Cost of ruined vacation
• Adverse physical reactions
• Scarring or cosmetic damage

Depending on those factors, your bed bug settlement could be worth anywhere from $10,000 to $10,000,000.

(That’s how much each case can vary).

The next step is to get connected with a professional bed bug personal injury lawyer to discuss your unique case and situation.

A lawyer will help determine whether you have a strong case for a lawsuit so give us a call at (855) 733-9217 today.

Oklahoma Bed Bug Laws

Oklahoma is one of the less friendly states when it comes to tenants and bed bugs. Though it’s still possible to file a lawsuit, often times the cost of bed bug removal will fall on to the occupant.

So what are the landlord’s responsibilities?

Landlords and property owners are in fact required to deliver an apartment or house already pest-free.

Though in Oklahoma:

Since bed bugs are not considered a public health nuisance, the health department cannot hold landlords responsible for correcting a bed bug infestation.

For this reason, it’s absolutely critical…

That you can prove bed bugs existed BEFORE you moved in.

This is because property owners are required to DELIVER a unit pest-free, but not MAINTAIN it that way.

Click here to learn more about landlord vs. tenant responsibilities when it comes to bed bugs.

Bed Bugs in Hotels

If you were bitten by bed bugs in a hotel or motel, the state department of health will take your complaints and investigate further.

You can fill out a complaint here and the health department will keep all of your information confidential.

Hotels have a responsibility to the health and safety of their guests…

Therefore a bed bug infestation may be in direct violation of that. In this case the key here is to prove negligence upon the hotel.

Showing that they either improperly dealt with, or failed to take action on a known bed bug infestation.

Hotels should have certain bed bug protocols in place to protect their guests.

These include:

• Training staff on how to properly identify a bed bug over other similar looking insects.
• A specific process in place for the reporting of bed bug infestations.
• Staff should know what to look for and understand where bed bugs hide and how they spread.

Many hotel bed bug cases have settled for hundreds of thousands of dollars, because of the injuries and financial burden that victims sustained.

Here is an example of an alleged lawsuit about bed bugs in an Oklahoma City hotel.

Biltmore Hotel Oklahoma City Bed Bugs (September 2019)

A man went to visit his mother at a nursing home near Bethany and decided to stay at the Biltmore hotel. According to the individual, “the room was rundown and none of the doors would close properly. Due to the current state of the room, the individual requested to change rooms but that was denied.

After reluctantly going to sleep in the room the man was woken up at around 5 am by an intense irritation and burning sensation on his arm.

He noticed a few live bugs crawling around the bed and his arm had 15 to 20 bites on it. He approached the management office about a refund and they would not give one because he paid cash for the room.

He then accidentally carried bed bugs to his home which then infested his family. He then sued for damages that involved pain & suffering, medical bills, and damaged furniture.  

As a result, he received over $25,000 in damages due to the severity of the bed bug incident and negligence upon the hotel.

The below video talks about the bed bug problem in apartments in the state of Oklahoma.

Where to Report Bed Bugs in Oklahoma

Where to report a bed bug infestation widely depends on where the infestation occurred.

If you’re a renter:

You should report bed bugs immediately to your landlord or management company. Explain the situation, and discuss what needs to be done in accordance with your lease.

If you’re a hotel guest:

You should contact hotel management and also the state health department. They will investigate your situation further and help remedy any damage that was done.

If you’re a homeowner:

Then the responsibility for bed bugs is on you. You should contact a pest control company immediately to eradicate an infestation before it gets worse.

If you can’t afford pest control you can use certain DIY methods to remove bed bugs.

Oklahoma Bed Bug Attorney

Have you or a loved one experienced bed bugs in your hotel room, apartment, or another facility? If so you may be entitled to financial compensation. Give us a call at (855) 733-9217 to discuss your unique case, and help determine whether you can file a lawsuit.