Bed Bugs in Maryland Hotels

Whitney, LLP successfully represents clients injured by bed bugs in apartments, furniture infested with bed bugs, and especially bed bugs in hotels in Maryland. We have recovered over $14 million in compensation for clients injured from bed bugs, including many infested hotel rooms. Individually-owned motels and large hospitality chains such as Econo Lodge, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, Marriott, Motel 6, Quality Inn, and Residence Inn can all be prone to bed bug infestations. The attorneys at Whitney, LLP often file bed bug lawsuits and end up recovering much more than what the last settlement offer was before the lawsuit was filed.

Whether bed bugs are in a 5 star hotel or 1 star roadside motel, guests in infested rooms will still be bitten because bed bugs do not discriminate. The standard of care remains the same: Hotels are obligated to provide clean and sanitary rooms, free from infestation, no matter if they’re in Ocean City, Prince George’s County, National Harbor, or Baltimore City. By renting an infested room, the hotel has breached its duty. Guests are entitled to recover damages for their injuries caused by hotel negligence.

Hotel guests attacked by bed bugs in hotels, motels ,apartments and other residences are usually woken up by feeling something crawling on them or biting them at night.  They wake up in the morning feeling itchy and covered in little red bumps. Due to the delayed allergic reaction that can sometimes occur, a hotel guest who was bitten by bed bugs may start to feel itchy and notice bites beginning up to 10-14 days after first being bitten.

Whitney, LLP’s office is in Towson and we are able to offer legal assistance. Some of the locations we help with bed bugs in Maryland hotels include:

• Anne Arundel County
• Baltimore City
• Baltimore County
• Charles County
• Howard County
• Montgomery County
• National Harbor
• Ocean City
• Prince George’s County

Dealing With Maryland Hotel Negligence

Regardless of whether you encountered bed bugs in a hotel or motel, there are several steps you should take to properly deal with bed bugs in Maryland hotels or elsewhere.

1. Take pictures and video of the bed bugs and bites and blood on the sheets, as it will preserve your evidence for a claim or lawsuit that you may choose to bring in the future. Proof of both the bugs and their bites will help to maximize your compensation from bed bugs. If you can catch a bed bug or multiple bugs, and put them in a bag, or video them. Oftentimes during the claims process, a hotel will claim that there were no bed bugs in a guest’s room. When you can produce evidence of the infestation, that argument loses credibility.

2. Report the bed bug infestation to the hotel’s front desk and ask to speak with the manager.

When you find bed bugs, you need to put the hotel on notice. Doing so in person is good. Also, writing an email to the manager or assistant manager is a good way of documenting what hotel employees you spoke with, what was said, and your experience. Ask what their policy is for guest reports of bed bugs, and tell them that you want it followed precisely. Understand that these policies may change depending on whether you’re dealing with bed bugs in different hotel chains.

3. Request the creation of an incident report. Although every hotel should create an incident report to document guest reports of bed bugs, not all of them do. Ask that an incident report be made. If given the opportunity to describe what happened, be sure to describe where and how many bed bugs were found, how many people were bitten, and any other important details. Also, be sure to note if any hotel employees came to the room and witnessed the bed bugs.
4. Call the local Health Department and report the infested room. The local Health Department, or Code Enforcement Department, can be very helpful in documenting bed bugs and pests from other companies. An inspector will usually drive to the location within a day or two of the guest making the complaint. They’ll usually inspect the infested room, make the hotel manager show them the incident report and any pest control records, and then make a written report of their findings. We have used these reports in our bed bug cases and claims on many different occasions.
5. Seek medical treatment if necessary. Prescription medications, including cortisone and steroids, are often helpful to lessen the itching and swelling of bed bug bites. Different skin colors and tones may show the bed bug bites and disfigurement longer than others, sometimes up to a year. If the bites do not start to fade within a week or two, you may want to see a dermatologist for their expert opinion on what steps, if any, should be taken. We have had cases where bite marks and scars last for over a year. In these cases, we have successfully recovered compensation for our clients who have had to live with these blemishes on their skin for an extended period of time.
6. Email Whitney, LLP for your legal consultation or call us at (410) 583-8000 if you need help with bed bugs in Maryland hotels. Alternatively, use our Quick Contact form, which can be used by potential clients ranging from Baltimore County to Ocean City, MD, and all over the state.

Being bitten by bed bugs in a motel can be a traumatic experience. As many victims have found, it is not just about the bites and property damage. Emotional distress and anxiety can be debilitating, especially if the injury is severe. We have recovered the following compensation for bed bugs in motels and hotels:

• Pain and suffering for bed bug bites.
• Property discarded to avoid bringing an infestation home.
• Emotional distress and anxiety related to sleeplessness and constant fear of bed bugs after being bitten.
• Scarring and skin disfigurement.
• The cost of ruined vacations and trips.
• Lost wages from work due to side effects from being bitten by bed bugs.

Recovering Compensation for Bed Bug Bites

Being bitten by bed bugs can be a traumatic experience. As many victims have found, it is not just about the bites and property damage.  Emotional distress and anxiety can be debilitating, especially if the injury was severe. We have recovered the following compensation in hotel bed bug cases:

• Pain and suffering for bed bug bites;
• Property discarded to avoid bringing an infestation home;
• Emotional distress and anxiety related to sleeplessness and constant fear of bed bugs after being bitten;
• Scarring and skin disfigurement;
• The cost of ruined vacations and trips; and
• Lost wages from work due to side effects from being bitten by bed bugs

At Whitney, LLP, We’re Here to Help

Frequently our clients tell us that before Whitney, LLP represented them for bed bugs in Maryland hotels, the claims adjuster for the hotel had offered an insufficient amount of compensation for the suffering the hotel caused. We are experienced in recovering full and fair compensation for our clients, whether they got bed bugs in National Harbor, Charles County or Anne Arundel County, MD. If a hotel chain like Econo Lodge, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, Marriott, Residence Inn, Quality Inn, or Motel 6 is unwilling to provide reasonable compensation, we will not hesitate to file suit if it is in our client’s best interest.

Whitney, LLP offers all potential clients a legal consultation. Call us at (410) 583-8000, or use our Quick Contact form.

If you’re interested in learning more about how Whitney, LLP can help hotel guests in Montgomery County and Howard County alike, read our bed bug blogs or watch our YouTube channel for more information regarding bed bug case results.