Monthly Archives: November 2013

For over the past month Ive been dealing with bed bugs, when I realized I couldnt deal with it alone, I took it to my manager. Waited two weeks on just a response of when the company could come out and exterminate. They were trying to have me wait for 2 weeks longer. With demanding emails, I had them come within 6 days.

my boyfriend had to go out of town on tour to make a little extra cash. I had to prep for the extermination BY MYSELF.. put all my clothes and curtains and towels in the dryer, had to discard of any cardboard boxes or clutter. That took 9 hrs, up and down stairs with loads of clothing, was hallucinating seeing bugs out of the corner of my eye.. all this work top of little sleep due to bed bugs, I felt like I was gong t o have a nervous break down. The following day they came and sprayed, thought they said it was freezing spray, not sure.

Im still getting bit, they are suppose to do a second treatment, but I need it done sooner than that, and knowing the way management takes their sweet time, itll probably be longer. I dont know why they had me wait so long to spray, I dont know why they were so adamant on using that company, if they were booked, they should call another company. The stress has caused me another rash. I am unable to work, I model, HOW am I suppose to work when I look like I have a disease? I cant. I used my last bit of cash for dr apt and meds, gotta say this itching cream isnt helping the way the dr said it would.

I am at my wits end, I cry just about every other day, Ive thought about suicide. Just because I feel like I am beside myself, my bfs out of town, I have to wait for exterminators, dont think I can crash with friends. THEY DONT WANT IT. I cant afford a hotel, I woulda have my own exterminator come in, but they needed management confirmation. Im so screwed.

A friend of mine who has dealt with this says only a heating treatment works.. so I guess there is some thing where exterminators come in with a heating device?? I DUNNO, this is a problem nearly impossible to get rid of.. Im actually getting bit more now AFTER THEY SPRAYED, in the prep sheet, they said I may see more activity from the bugs, and pretty much dont complain until after the 2nd treatment. DOUBT THAT WILL KILL THEM.. Ive only seen a few bugs, they arent hiding on the bed. I have no idea where they are hiding.

Half my stuff is still in plastic bags my home is upside down. I think they may be hiding in between the cracks of the wooden floor? I am so so so tired. Im very fatigue, and thats a side effect, very depressed, very emotional. Right now I am contemplating wrapping trashing bags around me, so I can avoid getting bit. I know they go for the face and mouth, so also depending covering that with some material. HOW CRAZY IS THAT? but when your desperate what are you going to do?

today Ive called the department of health and left them a vm I need this taken care of asap.. Its ruining my life. This is no joke, this is a serious situation. NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.. If you dont solve the problem while its small, it can become a huge deal.. and these blood sucking bed bugs the hardest to get rid of. This infestation had caused me and my bf to fight, lose of work.. my sanity, my photo shoot gigs and importunity, Spent so much money on washing clothes And the bb sprays from the walgreens and rite aid stores THAT DO NOT WORK, but I hada try some thing while waiting for professionals to come in.

Today I sent a email to management, I want them to reduce my rent. After spending money and not being able to make money, or sleep or do any thing but sit here and sulk (been to weak to do anything) many people and drs say That I do not have to pay rent, this is a health code violation, and I am damn well going to try to get rent knocked off or I heard some thing about rights to breaking the lease? I dunno, gonna get my boyfriend entertainment lawyer and see what he can do hopefully the department of health can get them to solve this.

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Bed Bugs Turn a Woman's Life Upside Down

This adds to the woes of countless hotel, motel, inn, and lodging owners, because eliminating bed bugs from even one room comes at a high cost. Exterminators have a difficult job killing bed bugs; chemical baits arent effective since bed bugs feed only on blood, and DDT is banned. Plus, it takes several visits to find and destroy all of the bugs and their eggs. To eradicate a full-blown infestation throughout a building could cost $50,000 to $60,000. Methods include pyrethroid chemicals as well as applications of cold, heat, steam and vacuuming. However, bedbugs have been responsible for several new businesses, such as one in San Francisco which freezes all contents from an apartment for 48 hours to kill bed bugs, at $2,000 per unit. A New York company, K-9 Bedbug Detection Services, relies on trained beagles to sniff out bed bugs in upscale condos, hotels, and nursing homes at an average price of $1200. However, since bed bugs can live 12 months without a meal, making a room off limits for weeks after treatment may not help, either. The bedbugs may still lurk in cracks no wider than an envelope, or a new batch may arrive in someone elses luggage.

To fend off such horrors, some hotels request guests to take showers before entering a room; theyre given track suits and slippers to wear while their clothes are cleaned, and one Las Vegas hotel replaces guests luggage with new suitcases. Such actions sound extreme, but even one customer who claims to be the victim of bed bugs can cost the facility untold money in lawsuits and loss of business. (It is estimated that bed bug reports cost the Australian tourism industry $75 million every year.)

To avoid lawsuits and negative publicity, most property owners settle bed bug claims out of court-at much less than the reported one of $150,000 from Helmsley Enterprises in 2004. On the advice of lawyers and insurers, many hoteliers are initiating bed bug lawsuit plans and raising their rates to do so. A quick summary of recent cases would convince any property owner of the rationale behind doing so:

2003- $382,000 punitive and compensatory damages awarded to two Chicago plaintiffs 2004- 45% rent abatement for six-months to a New York apartment tenant 2007- A woman is claiming infestation by hundreds of bed bugs in a cheap motel during her recuperation from breast cancer. Rose M. Pagley-Brown is suing the Stone Motel in Arkansas, alleging pain and mental anguish, embarrassment and humiliation, medical bills and expenses from countless bug bites and visible bugs in her bed. The owner denies the allegations, claiming his business had passed two recent pest inspections. 2007-Plaintiffs claimed that bed bug pesticide spraying at Wichita State University made them ill. 2008-Three apartment tenants in Chicago are suing for bedbug injuries. 2008-An opera singer initiated a lawsuit against the Hilton Corporation for $6 million. The alleged injuries involve over 150 bed bug bites.

In comparison, in 2005, a couple acquired bed bug bites and scabies from a Washington-State hotel, but ended up receiving only $4,000 through small claims court to cover financial losses. The individuals felt that lawyers didnt see enough money in the case to take it and the issue wasnt considered newsworthy by the media.

Insurance often fails to cover total litigation costs; for example, punitive damages are not insurable. Plus, if managers have been negligent in dealing with bed bug infestations, numerous insurers wont pay any claims.

Bed bug lawsuits have recently been filed against cruise lines, rental furniture companies, laundromats, and dry cleaners. Furthermore, now landlords are suing pest control companies, just as more bedbug victims are suing public municipalities. It is expected that soon there will be addendums to lease agreements which hold tenants responsible for bedbug infestations.

When it comes to hotels, bed bug claims are among the top frauds perpetrated against hotels, according to Thomas Jones, an associate professor at the University of Nevada. In response, one New York hotel displays a bedbug alert free certification in their lobby-but it is in the minority when it comes to bringing up the issue of bed bugs. Most lodgings dont want guests thinking about bedbugs. (If and when they do utilize bug-sniffing dogs, guests are told the canines are checking for mold.)

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) says bed bugs themselves are reproducing in surprising amounts, by more than 500 percent over the past few years. Yet, these numbers have minimal impact on most hotels, with state-of-the-art sanitation and strict standards of laundering, drying, vacuuming and bedbug-proof mattress covers. The Best Western is typical in its use of a regularly administered pest control program and a trained and knowledgeable housekeeping staff. Such practices should keep bed bugs and lawsuits to a minimum.

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Bed Bugs Lawsuits - Bed Bug.org

ContextBed bug (Cimex lectularius) infestations are rapidly increasing worldwide. Health consequences include nuisance biting and cutaneous and systemic reactions. The potential for bed bugs to serve as disease vectors and optimal methods for bed bug pest control and eradication are unclear.

ObjectivesTo present current knowledge of the health and medical effects of bed bugs and to explore key issues in pest control and eradication efforts.

Data SourcesA search of MEDLINE and EMBASE databases (1960-October 2008) for articles using the keywords bed bugs, Cimex lectularius, humans, parasitology, pathogenicity, and drug effects. For pest control, PubMed and Toxline searches (1960-October 2008) were performed using the keywords bed bugs, Cimex, control, prevention, and eradication. Manual searches of older journals, textbooks, pest control trade journals, and newspapers (1892-October 2008) were also performed.

Study SelectionOriginal accounts or investigations of bed bugs, clinical responses with sufficient detail of cause and effect between the bed bug bite and clinical response, and convincing evidence of substantiated presence of bed bug exposure. For pest control, documentation that an eradication measure quantitatively decreased bed bugs.

Data ExtractionA trained medical reference librarian assisted with the literature search. Two authors with expertise in the diagnosis, treatment, and eradication of bed bugs reviewed the clinical articles. One author evaluated the pest control articles.

Data SynthesisFifty-three articles met inclusion criteria and were summarized. Only 2 clinical trials concerning bed bugs were identified and tested the ability of pest control interventions to eradicate bed bugs. Although transmission of more than 40 human diseases has been attributed to bed bugs, there is little evidence that they are vectors of communicable disease. A variety of clinical reactions to bed bugs have been reported, including cutaneous and rarely systemic reactions. A wide range of empirical treatments, including antibiotics, antihistamines, topical and oral corticosteroids, and epinephrine, have been used for bite reactions with varying results. No evidence-based interventions to eradicate bed bugs or prevent bites were identified.

ConclusionsTreatment options for cutaneous and systemic reactions from bed bug bites have not been evaluated in clinical trials and there is no evidence that outcomes differ significantly from those receiving no treatment. Evidence for disease transmission by bed bugs is lacking. Pest control and eradication is challenging due to insecticide resistance, lack of effective products, and health concerns about spraying mattresses with pesticides.

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JAMA Network | JAMA | Bed Bugs (Cimex lectularius) and Clinical ...