San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog
Over the summer, a 17-hour Air India flight from Newark, New Jersey to Mumbai, India was found to have bed bugs that bit a baby, a mother, and numerous children all over their bodies during the flight. Incidents like this have happened in the past and are completely unacceptable, as airlines have a duty to ensure that their aircrafts are clean and their passengers are safe. If you have experienced something as unfortunate and traumatic as getting stuck on a plane with bed bugs, contact the bed bug lawyers at Brod Law Firm today to have your rights represented in order to obtain the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Can Bed Bugs Survive on Airplanes?
Despite the name bed bug, bed bugs can survive far beyond the limits of a bed. One common myth is that bed bugs can not survive at high altitude and therefore can not exist on planes. As evidenced by the cases mentioned above, bed bugs can and have been found on airplanes. While bed bugs are always a nuisance, it can feel like a much bigger pain when you are trapped on a long flight and are physically unable to get away from them.
How to Avoid Getting Bed Bugs While Flying
Taking a few precautionary steps when boarding the plane can save you from potentially suffering for upwards of 20 hours with itchy bites before you can even physically remove yourself from the airplane. The following is a two-step process you can follow to avoid getting bed bug bites on the airplane.
- Put your carry on luggage in the overhead compartment before inspecting your seat and sitting down.
- Inspect your seat and the adjacent seats before sitting down. Look for tiny bugs or dark brown blood spots on the seat. Make sure to check in the corners of the seat, as bed bugs particularly like hiding in the corners of mattresses and linens. You may wish to use a credit card or something similar to push back the seams so you can more clearly see inside the cracks. If the lighting in the room is poor, use the flashlight on your phone to give yourself better vision.
While this process does not guarantee that your seat is free from bed bugs, as some bed bugs can be difficult to spot, it will prevent some instances of bed bug bites and, at a minimum, give you the peace of mind of knowing that you have inspected the seat and did not find anything worrisome. Ultimately, it is not your duty to inspect your airplane seat for bed bugs, but at least you can prevent yourself from suffering from the lasting effects of the bites.
Contact a California Bed Bug Attorney Today
If you have encountered bed bugs while flying or traveling anywhere, you deserve compensation. Airplanes are required by law to maintain safety standards that include ensuring there are no bed bug infestations on the aircraft. The attorneys at Brod Law Firm have helped unlucky travelers obtain compensation for their bed bug injuries and seek justice for not only the bed bug bites, but also the loss of their vacation and the emotional trauma they were forced to endure as a result. Contact our attorneys at (800) 427-7020 or visit us online to schedule your free consultation today.
(image courtesy of Marcus Zymmer)