Crazy things happen in Arizona all the time!
Recently, this was seen in the case of Thomas Jay, who was simply trying to take out his garbage cans one morning when he suddenly felt a piercing pain in his arm. Looking down, he saw a bug he didn’t recognize, and swatted it off his arm before it could do any more harm. Unfortunately, it was a little too late.
It started out as just one single mark. But soon, Thomas’ entire arm was covered with welts and bruises, which caused Thomas and his wife, Dee Petrov, to take a trip to the emergency room. Doctors were baffled and are still waiting for biopsy results; but so far, they’ve put it down to a bug resembling “a Solifugae, a spider-like bug native to warm and arid habits.”
Could I File a Claim in This Situation?
Most people wouldn’t think that this is a legal case, but it could be. Let’s talk hypotheticals.
In situations like this, when a bite victim is renting or leasing a premises, the landlord could potentially be held liable for neglecting to take care of the property. If the bug that bit Thomas was a Solifugae—which love hot, dry climates like you would find in Arizona—well, landlords need to make sure they’re doing everything they can to keep their tenants safe from “known dangers” of the state.
Another “liability” in this type of case would be if someone else brought the bug into Thomas’ house, even unknowingly. Although that is not what happened in this instance (as Thomas was outside), when delivery people or vendors such as carpet retailers bring a product into a person’s home, that person has the right to assume that the product is safe, and NOT be bitten by a dangerous bug.
It is unclear if Thomas Jay has a legal case, but this is just one example of how things can go sideways in Arizona; even while you’re just going about your daily life!
If you suffer an injury and you need help, contact The Husband and Wife Law Team of Breyer Law Offices, P.C. We are the personal injury lawyers who understand that no one ever can ever anticipate that an injury is going to happen!