It is a fairly common vacation horror story: you check into a hotel and lie back to get a good night’s rest, trusting that the establishment, for whose hospitality you are paying, has gone to all necessary lengths to ensure that their rooms are in a fit, clean and healthy state. The following morning, you find those tell-tale little red bumps and unbearable itching. The bed you have just slept in is infested with bed bugs. You may want to call a bed bug lawyer – and you have every right to do so.
Most people think bed bug infestations are associated with poor hygiene or maintenance. Actually, bed bugs can thrive even in facilities that are very well looked after and have high standards of housekeeping. Hotels can’t keep bed bugs at bay with great housekeeping alone – they need to screen rooms specifically for bedbugs and eradicate them if they find them. If there are bed bugs in their rooms, it means that management has fallen short on its obligation to make their accommodation safe and clean for their guests. Under Florida law, hotels can be held liable for any injuries or inconvenience suffered by a hotel guest who has been bitten by bed bugs, as they have failed in their duty of care. Guests can and should seek the help of a personal injury lawyer and demand compensation from the hotel’s owners.
Steps To Take When Bitten By Bed Bugs At A Florida Hotel
When you see signs of bed bug activity, especially bites on your skin, you need to take the following steps:
- Take pictures and videos of your room. Get as many images as you can of the entire room. Check the mattress (including the underside) for signs of the bugs or their nests, and look for any dust you may see on the bedding, carpeting, chairs or sofas. Document everything you can – there may be signs of infestation that you don’t even recognize as such, but that an expert will spot right away.
- Take pictures of your bites. Next, make sure to get photos of all your bites as they manifest.
- Notify the hotel. Tell the staff and management at the hotel about your possible bed bug experience. They should send someone to check the room and then write a report – make sure you get a copy of that document.
- Visit a doctor. Go to a medical practitioner as soon as possible and have them examine the bites. Get a copy of their diagnosis and prescription. You will need all these medical records to support your claim.
- Contact the county health department and file a report. The county health inspector should also be informed of the incident and the possibility of an infestation. Once again, be sure to get a copy of any report that results from the department’s investigation.
- Speak to a Florida bed bug attorney. With your documents in hand, book a consultation with a personal injury attorney who has knowledge of bed bug cases. Your lawyer will assess your documents to see if you have a good case, and then help you build your case and file your complaint.
The Beregovich Law Firm is a personal injury law firm with offices in Miami, and Orlando, FL. We have recovered millions in damages across a multitude of personal injury cases, including bed bug bites. If you have had one of these unpleasant experiences at a Florida hotel, book a consultation and speak to one of our bed bug lawyers.
