Hotels have a legal obligation to rent only safe and sanitary rooms to their patrons. This responsibility is called the “duty of care.” When a hotel violates its duty of care by renting out rooms with bed bug infestations, and guests are bitten by bed bugs, the hotel may be held financially liable for personal injury resulting from bed bug bites, and for financial losses resulting from guests bringing bed bugs back home after checking out.
If you were bitten by bed bugs while staying at a Holiday Inn hotel, including Holiday Inn Express and Holiday Inn Resorts, the hotel bed bug lawyers of Whitney, LLP may be able to help you recover compensation for your pain, suffering, and financial losses.
At Whitney, LLP, we pride ourselves on aggressive and tenacious client advocacy, and our accomplished legal team has years of experience litigating hotel negligence claims against some of the largest hotel chain operators in the world.
To begin discussing your potential claim in a free and completely confidential legal consultation, call the law offices of Whitney, LLP right away at (410) 583-8000.
Holiday Inn Hotel and Resort Locations
Established in Tennessee in 1952, today Holiday Inn is owned by Inter-Continental Hotels Group PLC. In addition to the signature line of Holiday Inn hotels, which currently operates 1,158 hotels comprising a grand total of 211,228 rooms, other Holiday Inn brands include:
- Holiday Inn Express — This minimal, no-frills variant of the original Holiday Inn franchise currently operates 2,365 hotels for a total of 229,110 rooms worldwide, with numerous locations in Maryland and across the United States.
- Holiday Inn Resorts — Geared toward catering to family vacations, Holiday Inn Resorts currently operate 42 resorts worldwide. U.S. locations include Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Texas.
Holiday Inn reports hosting more than 100 million guests per night, and cites Atlanta, Chicago, Minneapolis, Houston, Boston, Pittsburgh, and New Orleans as some of its most popular destinations.
How to Tell if You’ve Been Bitten by Bed Bugs
Bed bug bites are frequently misidentified as flea, mosquito, or spider bites. Bites from bed bugs can be distinguished from other bug and insect bites based on the following characteristics:
- Presentation of multiple bites in concentrated rows or clusters.
- A bite diameter of approximately 3/8″, or about half an inch.
- A slightly raised or swollen texture.
- A pale pink hue with a darker red spot in the center.
Because bed bugs are primarily nocturnal and typically strike while victims sleep, bites tend to appear on areas of the body which are left exposed by pajamas and sleepwear, such as the face, feet, neck, and hands.
Bite victims must bear in mind that self-diagnosis always carries the danger of potential misidentification. Even if you feel confident in your ability to identify your bites, it is critically important to consult with a licensed healthcare provider to ensure appropriate identification and treatment. Bed bug bites can lead to significant medical complications which far exceed itching and general discomfort.
Child with impetigo sores.
Health Risks Caused by Bites and Infestations
No two individuals will experience an identical reaction to being bitten by bed bugs. Some people have very mild reactions; but others experience serious health issues which can be both physically and emotionally devastating.
For example, frequent scratching can cause bites to open and become infected, a condition known as impetigo. Impetigo is categorized as a bacterial skin infection, and typically causes symptoms such as pus production, inflammation, skin lesions, and swollen lymph nodes. Impetigo can also cause a secondary infection of the hair follicles, called folliculitis, and/or secondary skin infections known as cellulitis and eczematoid dermatitis.
Unfortunately, impetigo is highly contagious and can easily spread from the original victim to his or her cohabitants, coworkers, and/or romantic partners. Consequently, employed persons suffering from bite-induced impetigo may have to stay home from work until antibiotic treatments take effect — generally about one week to 10 days — resulting in loss of wages in addition to medical expenses and physical pain.
While less common than impetigo, some individuals experience an extremely severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock, a condition commonly associated with bee stings. Anaphylactic shock is a life-threatening condition requiring immediate emergency treatment, whose warning signs include rapid heartbeat, skin rashes, difficulty breathing, nausea, and vomiting.
In addition to the many health risks associated with bed bug bites, victims of hotel infestations are likely to sustain financial losses resulting from the replacement of infested personal property. While their name implies otherwise, bed bugs can make their homes in any number of objects and appliances, including but not limited to carpeting and upholstery, drapes and curtain rods, outlets, wallpaper, and even ceilings. When hotel guests bring bed bugs back in their luggage, their entire homes can become infested in a matter of weeks.
While our law offices are located in Towson, MD, the attorneys of Whitney, LLP are prepared to litigate bed bug injury cases arising from hotel negligence throughout the United States. If you were bitten by bed bugs while lodging at a Holiday Inn hotel, or had to replace infested property after returning home from an infested hotel room, the hotel bed bug attorneys of Whitney, LLP may be able to help you recover compensation. To set up a free and private case evaluation, call our law offices at (410) 583-8000 today.