Pest control ranging from termites and ants to mice and rats has long been a major concern among U.S. homeowners. Each year millions of dollars are paid out to pest control companies like Terminix in the hopes of keeping our homes free of infestations and our family and property safe. We trust these companies to provide services using products that will get the job done, but at the same time are not going to cause harm to our families.
A Vacation One Family Will Never Forget
Terminix is one of the largest pest control companies in the world. You would think that the only way this company could have grown to be so big would be through providing exemplary service. Unfortunately, this is not the case as the number of lawsuits against them not only for providing poor quality services, but also for using dangerous chemicals continues to grow.
In recent years there have been a number of cases where families have been poisoned by the chemicals used by Terminix or the smaller companies they hire, including one in which a young Florida boy was left so severely brain damaged following the fumigation of the family home he may never walk again. In a recent court case, a family who had been on vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands was exposed to yet another dangerous pesticide used by Terminix and ended up critically ill.
In this particular case, Terminix pled guilty to four counts of violating federal laws with regard to the use of pesticides. The company has also agreed to pay $10 million in penalties. The chemical in question was methyl bromide and can cause a person to suffer from convulsions, coma, and brain damage. The federal government banned the indoor use of this pesticide in 1984, and severely restricts its use elsewhere.
The family was hospitalized for treatment, and both of the teenage sons spent weeks in medically induced comas. Terminix has agreed to pay all medical expenses and prosecutors have stated they are willing to reopen the case if the company fails to hold up its end of the plea deal. This type of willful negligence is becoming all-to-common when it comes to pest control companies, the products they use, and the lack of properly trained personnel.