The chemicals used in fumigation treatments generally suffocate termites hidden inside a home’s wood surfaces. A trained pest control agent must first place a tent around a home before starting the process. To avoid accidental exposure to dangerous chemicals, pest control technicians typically provide the home’s residents with instructions regarding the need to stay away and when to return.
A pest control company may be liable if it fails in its duty to warn of possible fumigation dangers. If a family returns home too early, they may face exposure to sulfuryl fluoride, a chemical used in fumigation. According to the National Pesticide Information Center, symptoms of an accidental inhalation include numbness, shortness of breath and respiratory irritation.
Seeking medical attention for fumigation exposure
Individuals exposed to fumigation chemicals require medical treatment and should seek it immediately. If exposure to sulfuryl fluoride goes untreated, it may cause brain, lung or kidney damage.
A hospital can provide records of an administered medical treatment. The documents could serve as evidence of harm when seeking damages against a negligent pest control company.
Pursuing compensation for a pet death
When a woman in Florida hired a pest control company to fumigate her home for termites, she scheduled the treatment to begin at 3:00 p.m. As reported by NEWS5 WCYB, she left work and arrived home at 1:30 p.m. and found that an agent had already tented her house and begun the treatment. She could not retrieve her cat from inside the home and suffered the loss of a beloved pet.
Because fumigation chemicals may result in fatalities, pest control workers must ensure that all humans and animals have left a home before putting up a fumigation tent. If a pest control company’s negligence causes harm to pets or humans, a legal action may serve to recover for damages.