Bee sting - proving the severity of personal injury

I need some experts in here to weigh in on these test results. RAST honeybee +2 (1.89), RAST wasp +2 (0.86), RAST paper wasp +2 (1.83), RAST hornet +2 (0.82). How much of a threat are we actually talking about if this person gets stung by a bee with numbers like these? Are these results within the "normal" range that most people deal with, or is it serious? Specifically, could someone with these levels suffer an anaphylactic shock—which is technically just a minor injury—that then escalates into a "serious bodily injury" claim due to the allergic reaction? I run a commercial apiary, and my hives are set up strictly according to all the legal codes and regulations. Now, my neighbor is trying to push me out and is suing me in municipal court, demanding damages because he claims he was stung by THREE of MY bees. Any insight would be appreciated.

David Reyes152 said:I’d like some professional opinions on these lab results. Honeybee IgE +2 (1.89), Vespula IgE +2 (0.86), Polistes IgE +2 (1.83), Hornet IgE +2 (0.82). How much of a health risk is someone facing if they get stung with results like these, or are these within the NORMAL range most people fall into? If a person with these test results suffers an anaphylactic shock from an insect sting—which I am QUOTING—could that be classified as a MILD PHYSICAL INJURY that then escalates into an ORDINARY SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY due to the allergy compensation claims? I run a bee farm that is fully permitted and compliant with all local laws and regulations. Now my neighbor is trying to push me out and is suing me in municipal court for damages, claiming he was allegedly stung by THREE of MY bees. Thanks.

Honestly, this sounds more like a legal question to me...
...and frankly, I don't see how he's going to prove those were specifically *your* bees 🙄 In that regard, you might as well just toss those lab results in the trash regardless of what they show and instead spend your money on an EpiPen or an adrenaline shot to carry around in case some bug lands on your forehead... Good grief, the types of people walking around these days 🤣
If you actually end up losing this lawsuit (which I highly doubt unless the judge is crooked), please let us know if you have the energy, because that precedent would be revolutionary—imagine the drain on the US budget if every asthmatic person suffering "serious injuries" during ragweed or poplar season starts suing for everything

BTW, the only reliable way to confirm an allergy is through antibody testing. Skin tests are unreliable and really just serve as a general guide before you pay for the expensive genetic antibody tests that actually provide definitive proof of an allergy.
Sleep easy; the guy is clearly a conspiracy theorist just looking to grab some cash. I’d bet money on it—I can smell that mindset from a mile away. I don't believe this will ever make it past the first hearing. If he wants to sue someone, he should sue the state; they're the ones who issued your permits. That's how he should handle it... it's not your fault. He should be questioning the decision of the government agency that granted the permit in the first place. He's suing the wrong person.

Man, I don't even know where to start with this one.

I honestly can't imagine how I'd go about proving your neighbor's claim in a courtroom.

Angela Wright really nailed the breakdown of the situation here.👍

But, look, if you're asking me...🙂
I know exactly how I'd build a defense for you.

If you've followed every single rule and regulation in the book here in the US, I could probably 🙂 :danebudemprost:

The reality is, there’s a pretty high probability that once someone gets stung by a bee, they're much more likely to have an anaphylactic reaction the next time it happens (though 🙄 a lot of different factors play into that), but it's not a guaranteed thing—that involves desensitization, which is a whole other rabbit hole we could spend days talking about.

Unfortunately, you're probably going to need to hire a heavy-hitting lawyer, because when the State gets involved, things get messy. 🤦

velvetmoose9 said:Nah, no way. :eye_roll:

I have zero clue how I’d even prove what your neighbor is claiming in court.

Angela Wright actually laid it out pretty clearly for you here 👍

But hey, if you're asking how I'd defend you... 🙂

Look, if you followed EVERY single professional regulation and standard in the state, I could 🙂 :give_you_a_pat_on_the_back:

The reality is, there's a high probability that once someone gets stung by a bee, they're way more likely to have an anaphylactic reaction during the next sting (it depends on a bunch of factors 🙄), but it's not a guarantee—that’s getting into desensitization territory, which is a whole other rabbit hole we could talk about for days.

Sadly, you're gonna need to hire a heavy-hitting lawyer, because the State 🤦

So, a livestock inspector swung by today for a routine apiary inspection. And get this—I actually called him out to come over. We walked the grounds and documented everything exactly as it stands. The official report states that my hives were set up perfectly according to Article 3, Section 1 of the regulations... So, if this turns into a legal battle and the neighbor tries to sue for damages in municipal court, I’ve got the paperwork from a high-level livestock inspector proving my setup is totally compliant. That means the neighbor's claim that MY bees stung them has zero legs to stand on. We'll see what happens.

How the hell does he plan on proving your bee actually stung him?!

Larry Walker24 said:How on earth does he think he's going to prove one of your bees stung him?!

Honestly, I haven't a clue how he plans to pull that off. Maybe he thinks it's easy because my apiary is right in his backyard—literally 100 yards from his vacation cabin. But let's be real: within a mile of here, there are two other bee farms and another 60 or 70 hives scattered around during the clover season. It's impossible to pin it on me.

You're telling me you're only 100 meters away?!
In my neighborhood, there's a guy with about twenty beehives sitting right in the middle of his yard—surrounded by houses, and just across the fence, there’s a soccer field and a fire station... Yet, the only person my colleague—who lives right next door—gets stung by is maybe two or three times a year, and even then, it's only when he's out trimming the grass near the fence or actually doing something to bother them.

It's funny—nobody has even breathed a word of complaint about those hives, despite the fact that they aren't exactly following the local ordinances 🤷 .
Maybe our American bees are just a bit more laid back 🤣

Since we’re discussing medical science here rather than legalities, I’ll offer a few clarifications regarding the diagnostic process.

In this instance, they didn't use a skin prick test; instead, they ran a blood panel to identify specific IgE antibodies via RAST.

The original poster is questioning just how much weight these specific test results actually carry.

The answer is straightforward: any elevation in specific IgE in these cases—specifically involving hymenoptera—is significant, particularly when it climbs above 0.35 kU/L.

It is clear the individual tested has allergies to honeybees, wasps, and hornets.

That said, one must remember that IgE antibody levels don't always correlate with the actual severity of an allergic reaction following a sting.