Steps To Take If Bitten By Bed Bugs In A Hotel
Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to get rid of once they infest your home or any other property. The nocturnal creatures usually hide during the day, but at night, they crawl around and find victims to feed on. Because the victim is usually asleep and bed bug saliva contained anesthetic qualities, it’s not until morning that most people notice red, itchy and swollen welts on their body.
Many cases of bed bug incidents occur at hotels, where the critters can stay on the property for months at a time. Hotel owners are legally required to resolve bed bug infestations once they receive a complaint, but unfortunately, many establishments are negligent in their duty of care. If you or your loved one suffered bed bug bites, you are likely to have questions on the steps you can take to demand compensation from the hotel. This article will help you understand your rights and legal options, but please keep in mind that it is not a substitute for legal advice from a bed bug attorney. If you would like to schedule a free consultation, contact the offices of DTLA Law Group.

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Owners and operators of hotels have a duty to provide customers with a safe and sanitary living space. If the hotel fails to maintain the premises and someone is injured as a result, they can be held liable for the victim’s monetary losses. With bed bugs, for example, you may have grounds to sue the hotel for medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of property, and other expenses.
You have the right to file a bed bug infestation claim if the hotel knew about or had reason to know about the problem, but failed to take corrective measures. It’s possible that the infestation was caused by the hotel or the insects were brought in by a previous guest. Regardless of where they came from, the law clearly requires hotel owners to take care of hazards on their own property. Thus, if the hotel did not arrange for extermination, warn other guests about the bed bugs, and engage in other acts of negligence, they can face legal consequences, including lawsuits from the affected parties.
This is why it’s essential to notify the hotel in writing if you notice the signs of bed bugs in your room. The business owner must be given a chance to contact exterminators and try to make things right with you, like covering any medical expenses and loss of property associated with your injuries. You should also contact a hotel bed bug lawyer right away, who can walk you through the process of filing a premises liability claim.
Steps to Take if There are Bed Bugs at a HotelIf you find bed bug bites on yourself or a family member while staying at a hotel, we strongly recommend that you seek medical attention. This may seem like overkill, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, as some people can have strong allergic reactions to bed bug saliva. Even if your symptoms are relatively minor, these bites are extremely itchy and easily infected. A prescription topical cream or other medication can help with the itching and swelling, thereby keeping you from scratching and rubbing the area. After seeing a doctor, make sure to:
- Save medical records to show the harm you suffered. This is required if you wish to file a claim for compensation, especially if you have long-term complications from being bitten by bed bugs. Medical records include prescriptions, hospital bills, notes from your doctor, and statements from your healthcare insurance company.
- Take photos or video of the bite marks and other signs of bed bugs in your hotel room (blood marks on sheets, bed bug feces, bed bug exoskeletons, etc.). Make sure to gather as much visual evidence as possible to show the extent of the infestation. Bed bugs and the debris they leave behind can be found in many places, including your luggage, under the mattress, beneath chair cushions and pillows, and around the headboard and baseboard.
- If you can, check with other guests to see if they are having similar issues, and ask for their contact information or written statements. Chances are, your room is not the only one that’s infested by bed bugs.
- After you have taken photos and gathered all your evidence, remove your clothes and other belongings, and if it’s possible, wash them in hot water and dry them on high heat to kill any remaining bed bugs.
- Talk to the manager about presence of bed bugs to ensure that the problem is taken care of right away. Make sure to take all your photos and collect evidence before telling the hotel. Otherwise, the staff may move you to another room immediately, clean out the room, and deny that there was a bed bug problem on the premises. That way, they can get away with not paying for your medical bills, hotel stay, and other payments you legally deserve.
A word of caution: avoid saying yes to anything that’s offered by the hotel until you officially file a claim and discuss your options with a bed bug lawsuit attorney. As a customer, it’s tempting to accept offers from management, like an upgraded room, additional stay, hotel rewards, etc. By accepting any of these perks, you may compromise your ability to sue the hotel, as they can claim that they made you a proper offer of compensation. So, make sure you don’t sign any documents or agree to settle the matter until you have consulted an attorney.
By calling the legal experts of DTLA, you can be sure that the hotel is held accountable for your injuries and property loss. With decades of experience in suing hotels for bed bug infestations, you can count on us to negotiate maximum payment and help you move forward with your life.
Once you establish a solid foundation for a bed bug claim, you must act quickly to ensure that your lawsuit is filed on time. In California, you generally have 2 years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. The statute of limitations may be extended under limited circumstances, but overall, it’s best to go by the window of 2 years when it comes to a personal injury lawsuit.
In the event you are more than 2 years from the date of being bitten by bed bugs, the courts will most likely invalidate your right to a lawsuit. Thus, you can lose the right to any amount of compensation, even if you sustained serious injuries and the hotel is clearly at fault.
Make sure to speak with a hotel bed bug attorney as soon as possible. During a free consultation, we can talk to you about the legal process and how we can help you as someone that was bitten by bed bugs at a hotel. If you wish to go ahead with a legal case, we will handle every stage of your claim, thereby allowing you to focus on your loved ones, your job, and everything else that requires your attention.
The Bed Bug Injury Lawyers of DTLABed bugs are not just an annoyance; they can cause serious physical and psychological damage to anyone who is forced to live with an infestation. With that in mind, we invite you to contact our law firm immediately if you were harmed by bed bugs at a hotel. We are more than ready to provide aggressive and skilled representation and secure the funds you are entitled to.
You are protected by the Zero Fee Guarantee from the moment you contact us, meaning we will never ask you for a retainer or fees on an hourly basis. Instead, we wait till your settlement check is released by the other part before deducting the cost of legal services. This way, you do not owe us anything in the event you are compensated from a bed bug infestation case.
To speak with one of our attorneys during a free case review, give us a call as soon as possible.
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