A Texas resident has filed a lawsuit against a furniture rental company, alleging that the company provided him with bedbug-infested furniture, leading to physical and emotional distress. Rodney Fobbs filed the complaint in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, on December 6, 2024, against Rent-A-Center East, Inc.
According to the lawsuit, Rodney Fobbs entered into an agreement with Rent-A-Center on December 12, 2022, to rent furniture from their Houston store. On December 24, 2022, a sofa was delivered to his residence. Shortly after receiving the furniture, Fobbs discovered it was infested with bedbugs. By December 29, he had suffered multiple bites on his back, legs, and arms and observed several bedbugs crawling on the couch. Due to the New Year's holiday period, he could not notify Rent-A-Center until January 2, 2023.
Fobbs claims that he endured painful bites which turned into welts that burned and itched for weeks. He sought medical treatment from Dr. Anand BalaSubramanian on January 4, 2023. The doctor diagnosed him with bedbug bites and prescribed medication for relief. The plaintiff asserts that he now has permanent scarring from the incident.
The lawsuit accuses Rent-A-Center of negligence for failing to inspect or ensure that the rented furniture was free of bedbugs before delivery. It alleges that despite having prior knowledge of infestations within its inventory or delivery systems, Rent-A-Center did not implement adequate policies or training for employees to detect and eradicate such pests. The plaintiff argues that this negligence resulted in unnecessary risk and exposure to bedbug infestations for customers like himself.
Rodney Fobbs is seeking compensatory damages ranging between $250,000 and $1 million for past and future medical expenses, loss of earning capacity, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, impairment, disfigurement as well as exemplary damages due to gross negligence by Rent-A-Center East Inc., which allegedly prioritized efficiency over customer safety.
Representing Rodney Fobbs is attorney Bob Wynne from The Wynne Firm P.C., located in Houston. The case is being heard in the Harris County District Court under Case ID: 2024-85321 by Judge Alexis Burks.