Bed bugs are invasive pests that can thrive in almost any environment. That includes all types of hotels and inns, from budget motels to five-star resorts. When bed bugs infest a hotel room, they can cover guests in painful bites that may cause health problems later. Bed bugs can also hide and travel inside of a hotel guest’s luggage, causing a costly and stressful infestation at home.
If bed bugs infested your room at Quality Inn, the hotel could be responsible for any injuries or financial losses that you suffered as a consequence. That includes medical bills for bite-related treatment, costs you incurred due to property damage, and other losses you suffered due to the infestation. To speak confidentially about filing a bed bug injury claim against Quality Inn or other Choice Hotels brand hotels, contact the bed bug litigation attorneys of Whitney, LLP online, or call our law offices at (410) 583-8000.
We represent clients bitten by bed bugs across Maryland including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County, Howard County, Carroll County, Charles County and Worcester County.
Quality Inn Locations
The Quality Inn brand is part of Choice Hotels, a large hospitality company whose other brands include Sleep Inn, Comfort, Econo Lodge, and Clarion. The Quality Inn hotel brand is known for providing simple, convenient, and affordable accommodations for tourists, families, and business travelers.
If you were bitten by bed bugs at a Quality Inn in Maryland, ask the hotel bed bug infestation lawyers of Whitney, LLP about whether you might have a claim.
Recognizing Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are tiny brown insects generally around one quarter inch in length. Their dark bodies are partially transparent, and are capable of expanding dramatically when the bed bug feeds. Blood is the sole source of food for bed bugs, which will opportunistically feed on humans, cats, dogs, or any other warm-blooded animals in their vicinity. They are generally active at night, but may be noticeable during the day if an infestation is extreme.
Are Bed Bug Bites Harmful?
Though uncommon, some individuals can have severe allergic reactions to bed bug bites. This response, called “anaphylaxis,” is triggered by exposure to certain proteins in the bed bug’s saliva, to which some people are highly sensitive. Effects of anaphylaxis can include facial swelling, vomiting or nausea, weakness, breathing problems, and shock. In extreme cases, anaphylaxis may even be fatal.
Secondary skin infections are another serious health issue associated with bed bug bites. Since the bites are often itchy, victims may scratch at themselves excessively, causing tiny cuts and wounds on the skin. These wounds are perfect entry points for bacteria, which can cause infections like impetigo, ecthyma, cellulitis, and lymphangitis.
Signs of Bed Bugs in Your Quality Inn Hotel Room
Hotels sometimes fail to detect or disclose bed bug infestations. Therefore, it’s a good idea to check your hotel room carefully for signs of bed bugs before you unpack and settle in. Warning signs of a bed bug infestation in your hotel room include:
- Small, dark stains on your mattress or bedding, likely accompanied by egg cases and pieces of molted skins
- Unpleasant, strange odors, which may be produced by bed bug pheromones (often called “musty” or “sweet”)
Suing a Hotel for a Bed Bug Infestation
Hotel managers and property owners have a duty of care to guests and visitors. Part of that duty is providing lodgings which meet certain standards for sanitation, cleanliness, and safety. Insect and pest infestations, such as bed bug infestations, are health hazards that could endanger guests. As such, hotels must take proper measures to eradicate and prevent infestations, such as hiring licensed and certified exterminators. Unfortunately, negligence sometimes causes these processes to break down, allowing infestations to flourish. When hotel negligence leads to an injury, the victim may be entitled to compensation.
Determining liability in a bed bug lawsuit is a complex process that demands a careful examination of many pieces of evidence. If you were bitten by bed bugs while staying at a Quality Inn hotel, it is in your best interests to talk about your legal options with an experienced injury lawyer, who can help you map out a strategy for your claim.
Quality Inn Bed Bug Infestation Attorneys
Bed bug lawsuits against hotels and their insurers involve many complex factors and proceed along strict deadlines. Make sure you have legal guidance from a knowledgeable, experienced attorney, like the hotel bed bug injury lawyers of Whitney, LLP. To set up a free legal consultation, contact our law offices online today, or call (410) 583-8000 to speak with a lawyer for Quality Inn bed bug infestations.
We represent clients in bed bug bite claims throughout Maryland including in Baltimore, Pasadena, Cockeysville, Owings Mills, Temple Hills, Marlow Heights, Middle River, Germantown, Silver Spring, Frederick, Waldorf, Laurel, Glen Burnie, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Ellicott City, Ocean City and Salisbury.