Many people mistakenly believe that the only way to be infested with fleas is if there is a pet with fleas around. The truth is that flea infestations can be found even in apartments without pets around. Fleas are common in animals, like squirrels, rats, raccoons, opossums, and bats; if any of these animals nest near an apartment building, fleas can spread within the apartments. Similarly, fleas can be carried into apartments on clothes and can quickly spread within the apartments.
If you have complained about fleas in your apartment but your landlord has failed to do anything about the situation, you could have grounds to file a lawsuit against the landlord. For more information about the legal options available to you and your family if you have been living in an apartment infested with fleas, contact the experts here at the Normandie Law Firm today.
Our lawyers here at the Normandie Law Firm have decades of experience handling all sorts of claims, including claims stemming from poor conditions in apartments. If you or your family suffered harm associated with a flea infestation at an apartment, contact us today. Our lawyers are more than ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to understand your rights and start the legal process against your landlord. Contact us today.
Understanding the Warranty of Habitability
All rental agreements are subject to the warranty of habitability that is outlined in California’s Civil Code (specifically, section 1941.1). The warranty of habitability states that all landlords must keep their rental properties in a habitable condition. There are many requirements that landlords must meet for their rental properties to be considered habitable, one of these requirements is that there are no vermin or insects on the rental property. Of course, this includes fleas and flea infestations.
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About Fleas
A flea is a wingless insect that feeds on blood – although they typically feed on animal blood, they can also feed on human blood. The flea is considered an external parasite for this reason. Adult fleas can grow to be about 3 millimeters long; fleas have narrow bodies that allow them to easily move through fur, for example. Fleas are usually a brownish color.
Flea bites are very itchy and are often red and swollen. Unfortunately, scratching often results in secondary infections. Typically, pet owners can take care of flea infestations relatively quickly and effectively. However, when the infestation is not associated with a pet but rather the poor conditions in an apartment building, then expert flea treatment might be necessary.
Are Landlords Always Liable for Flea Infestations?
As mentioned above, landlords have to keep their rentals in good condition under the warranty of habitability. However, there are some situations in which a landlord may not be liable for a flea infestation. For example, if the flea infestation can be associated with the actions of a tenant (whether this is bringing in stray dogs into the apartment, feeding stray cats, leaving trash out and attracting raccoons, possums, and rats, not allowing the landlord into the apartment to complete flea treatments, etc.), then the landlord may not be liable.
In fact, in some cases, the landlord could get rid of the fleas and actually charge tenants for the cost of treatment. For more information about whether landlords are liable for flea infestations in an apartment, contact us today.
My Landlord Breached the Warranty of Habitability – Can I Sue?
If your landlord failed to keep your apartment habitable, he or she breached the warranty of habitability. If your landlord was aware of the issues present on the premises, then your landlord could certainly be at fault for the uninhabitable conditions. What does this mean? You could have grounds to file a lawsuit against your landlord for breaching the warranty of habitability. It is also important to note that if the flea infestation affected you and your family and left you with medical costs, lost pay, mental and emotional suffering, property damage, bills for treatments, etc., you could sue your landlord. For more information about your right to sue, contact the experts here at our law firm today.
Can I Be Compensated?
Yes – you could be eligible to receive compensation if your flea infestation lawsuit against your landlord is ultimately successful. The specific type and amount of compensation that you can be awarded will be strictly based on the details surrounding your claim but could include medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, property damage, reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses, relocation costs, legal fees, and more. For more information about whether you could be compensated for the harm that you or a loved one suffered due to fleas in an apartment, contact us today.
Contact the Normandie Law Firm
Here at the Normandie Law Firm, our legal team has many years of experience handling all sorts of claims, including those associated with bug infestations in apartments and other rental properties. If you are looking to explore the legal options available to you, contact the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible. We offer free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our team will be available to answer questions, address concerns, and essentially provide you with all the information that you need to either begin or continue your flea infestation lawsuit against your landlord.
Our firm offers a Zero-Fee guarantee, meaning that our clients will never have to worry about paying any upfront legal costs for our legal services. In addition, our team works on contingency, so our clients not be required to pay anything unless they win their claims. If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not be required to pay anything at all.
Contact us today to learn more about the legal options available to you.
