Bed Bugs in Providence, RI
With a population of over 190,000 residents, Providence is the largest city in Rhode Island. It is also one of the oldest cities in the US, having been founded in 1636.
Providence is a cultural hotspot, and has plenty to offer for residents and tourists. One of the most prominent attractions is Roger Williams Park, which includes a zoo, a natural history museum, and various gardens.
The Dunkin’ Donuts Center is the city’s sports arena. It’s the home stadium of the Providence Bruins hockey team, and hosts other sporting events as well. The Center is also a venue for concerts, and was one of the final places to host the Ringling Brothers circus before the circus shut down.
Other attractions include the Providence Performing Arts Center, where many Broadway shows go on tour, and the Providence Place Mall. The Big Blue Bug, a mascot for a local pest control company, is also an unofficial drive-by tourist attraction.
Like many major cities, Providence is home to a thriving bed bug population. Bed bugs pose a serious health risk, and with so many people traveling to and from the city, there’s no shortage of victims.
Can You Actually Sue for Bed Bugs?
Absolutely! Whether you’re a Providence resident or if you visited the city, you have every right to sue for any damages caused by bed bugs.
Bed bugs can cause more than physical pain. Many people who deal with bed bug infestations have their mental and emotional health affected. People who are afflicted with bed bugs often suffer insomnia, stress, and some even develop trauma.
Financial losses are also common. Bed bug-infested furniture is usually thrown away and replaced, which leads to hundreds of dollars in property damage. Factor in the cost of an exterminator and any lost wages caused by an infestation, and you could be looking at thousands of dollars in damages.
At Bed Bug Lawyer, we’re here to help navigate you through the planning stages of a bed bug lawsuit.
If you would like more information, give us a call at (855) 733-9217. We’ll help put you in contact with a professional bed bug lawyer who will fight for your right to compensation.
This is a FREE consultation. You won’t pay ANY fees unless you win your case.
Are Hotels Liable for Bed Bugs?
Because of the health risks associated with bed bugs, all property owners are required to keep their property pest-free. In most cases, property owners are subjected to tenant-landlord agreement laws.
While hotels are also legally required to maintain their property, they follow a different set of protocols.
Hotel staff are tasked with cleaning a room after the previous guests leave, so that the room is good as new for the next occupants. But occasionally, for one reason or another, bed bug infestations go unnoticed.
Sometimes, an infestation persists because hotel staff was genuinely unaware of the problem. Unfortunately, most cases of bed bugs in a hotel room happen because of negligence or laziness on the hotel’s part.
Bed bugs aren’t fussy about where they make their nests. There are several reported incidents of bed bugs being found in 5-star hotels.
If you stayed a hotel room that had bed bugs, take the following steps before preparing a lawsuit:
- Inform hotel staff and management: Make sure you inform hotel management as soon as you discover bed bugs in your room. Take note of which employees you speak with, as it will prove useful in your case.
- Count the bites: If you have bed bug bites, count how many are on you. Bed bugs typically bite along the upper torso, including the arms, face and neck.
- Check the time: If possible, keep a log of what time you took certain actions. This includes when you first notice signs of bed bug activity, and when you first notified hotel staff.
These steps help you gather documented evidence, which is vital to the success of your case.
What Are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are tiny, parasitic insects about ¼ inch in length. They are reddish-brown in color and have flat bodies.
As the name implies, bed bugs make themselves at home in bedding material. They are nocturnal and come out at night to feed on human blood.
Bed bug bites look like red-colored welts. They usually appear a few hours after a bed bug stops feeding. On average, they heal after a week with proper treatment.
Because of their small size and nocturnal behavior, bed bugs are notoriously difficult to remove. In fact, 97% of all pest professionals in the United States deal with bed bug infestations at least once a year.
Get a Providence, RI Bed Bug Lawyer Today!
If you live in the city of Providence and are dealing with bed bugs, or if you developed a bed bug problem after visiting the city, you may be entitled to claim financial compensation.
As mentioned earlier, property owners are responsible for proper maintenance of the properties they rent out. This includes removing any pest infestations that might occur.
When you rent a property or book a hotel reservation, you’re implicitly placing trust in the landlord or hotel management that your room will be well maintained. If bed bugs are allowed to infest the room, then the property owners have violated that trust.
Again, feel free to give us a call at (855) 733-9217 or submit your case on our website. We help connect people with specialized bed bug attorneys who have dealt with these types of cases before. Once they review the details of your situation, they’ll fight for any compensation you may be able to claim.
Remember, our consultations are FREE. You won’t have to pay any fees unless you’re able to win your case.