Bed Bug Lawsuit Examples and Results
"Bed bug lawsuit activity is on the rise. This is being fueled by tenants who are suing building managers and travelers who are suing hotels. Legal action has been brought against rental furniture stores, new furnitures stores and conference centers. Lawsuits are often necessary as the law is unclear in many cities that have not included bed bugs as part of standard landlord/tenant agreements. Tenants often fail to ask for a bed bug clause that mandates that landlords pay for treatment. "
Unfortunately, lawsuits are becoming commonplace as the as bed
bug epidemic spreads. Below we've outlined current legal
activity that we are aware of, and the laws in specific areas that
define your rights in reaching a bed bug settlement.
The results of lawsuits are often kept confidential, which is why the
resolution of each is not always listed below.
Please
share your bed bug lawsuit stories and helpful advice by
filling
out the comment submission form at the bottom of this page.
Landlord and Tenant Bed Bug Lawsuit Activity
In the United States and many Countries, most areas do not include bed bugs in the law that requires that landlord provide a safe and habitable environment for tenants. When bed bugs are not specifically named, bed bugs fall into a gray area as they do not spread disease in the way that other vermin such as rats can.
Where to Check Your Applicable Bed Bug Law:
The State Attorney Generals office is the first stop for finding the applicable law in your area. Agreements tend to be standard. They also usually have a phone hot line that can be called for questions. Do not hesitate to call.
You can also check our local resources pages for the bed bugs law specific to your region.
Bed Bug Lawsuits - Tenants
There are many cases where tenants are suing landlords that fail to treat apartments for bed bugs. Many bed bug litigation cases are due to the law being unclear in many States and Countries as to who is responsible for treatment.
Aimco, Denver: Aimco is the largest landlord in the United States. Tenants organized and sued after building owner refused to pay for bed bug treatment. Company sued tenants for brining bed bugs into building in the first place. Tenants were fined $2400 for moving out of infested unites and another $350 for bed bug treatment (after company initially denied finding bed bugs).
Baltimore, MD: In Baltimore, a tenant won $40,000 due to landlord neglignece, where the landlord waited 48 days to fumigate her Hunting Hill's apartment. The lawyer for the plaintiff was Daniel Whitney from the firm Whitney and Bogris LLP located in Towson, MD. The law firm claims that there are 18 additional Baltimore bed bug cases pending. This is the first successful tenant bed bug lawsuit in Baltimore.
Brooklyn, NY: Tenant sued landlord for bed bug infested apartment in Park Slope Brooklyn. The case was brought by Ellyn Glisman-Sullivan a 25 year resident of her apartment. After being covered with bed bug bites, the plaintiff notified the landlord who applied an ineffective spray treatment. More details available on the Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn.
New York City: Actress Maya Rudolph from Saturday Night Live sued condominium owner she rented for $13,500/month after determining that it had bed bugs.
Presidential Towers, Chicago: Tenants sued building owner for $50,000 after getting bed bug bites.
Park Tower Condominium Association (5415 N. Sheridan Road), Chicago - The condo association sued a resident, Sandra L. Gold, after determining that her apartment was infested with "500 bedbugs." The bedbug lawsuit was initiated when the resident "failed and refused" extermination efforts, creating a pest control problem in the building. Ms. Gold was represented by lawyer Ralph Schindler. Read more in the An article in Chicago Real Estate Daily.
Steeplechase Apartments, Maryland : Couple claimed that within 3 days of moving into an apartment they were bitten by bed bugs. They moved out in less than a month. The bed bug attorney was Daniel Whitney. Wife sought medical treatment for inflamed hives. Couple sued for $50,000 in compensatory damages and $100,000 punitive damages.
Bed
Bug Lawsuits Video - WMAR ABC 2 News Baltimore
Des Moines, Iowa (Elsi Mason Manor): Residents sue over bed bugs due to infestations that are so bad, residents are covered with bed bugs. New residents were not being warned about bed bugs. Residents are seeking a bed bug settlement of $1.4 million dollars in damages.
Bed Bug Lawsuit: Camps
YMCA, Michigan: A family sued the camp after claiming that a child brought home bed bugs. Case was too difficult to prove as a preponderance of the evidence has to show that the bed bugs in the child's home in fact came from the camp. For more see mLive.com.
Bed bug Lawsuit: Colleges
Portland State University: Students sued a hosing development (Park Plaza Apartments) stating there were bed bugs in the units. See bed bug video below:
Fordham University: Sued the "New Yorker Hotel" which was serving as student housing. Students claimed hotel had bed bugs. Click here for NY1 Story.
Bed Bug Lawsuits - Furniture Related:
New Furniture Bed Bug Lawsuits:
JCPenney
(7/2008): A couple sued a JCPenney in New jersey
indicating that the new
furniture arrived infested with bed bugs. The couple won a
bed bug settlement of
$49,000 and were represented by New Jersey bed bug attorney Kevin
Siegel.
The news report from ABC can be seen in this video:
Furniture Rental Bed Bug Lawsuits:
In 2007 there was case was a case where an Atlanta family rented furniture which the family claimed was infested with bed bugs. In this case, the movers and family noticed the bed bugs before the furniture was brought into the home.
The movers from the rental company, Aaron Rents, returned the next day claiming the furniture was bed bug free. This was not the case, with the family suffering from bed bug bites. The furniture rental company treated the home at first, but after several attempts was unsuccessful given the large size of the infestation.
Hotel Bed Bug Lawsuits
There have been many cases of consumers suing hotels and other
types
of travel related bed bug lawsuits where travelers claim
receiving bed bug bites during a stay. Others have
sued
after claiming
that they brought bed bugs home from a hotel stay. There are
some reported results such as couple that won a bed bug settlement of
$382,000 in
2003 against a major national hotel chain.
Some
examples of cases include:
Embassy Suites Hotel San Rafael California: unspecified dollar amount for bed bug bites during stay.
Glendale, California: Three women are suing the Glendale Rodeway Inn-Regalodge Motel located on West Colorado Street (Choice Hotels). The women claim that they were bitten "dozens of times" and are suing for mental anguish and medical costs.. Trial is scheduled for April 2011. Source: LA Times
Hilton, Ohio (5/2007): Sued for $5,000,000 based on emotional distress, embarrassment and physical scarring from bed bug bites. The lawsuit claimed that Hilton breached its duty to provide reasonable safe accommodations which in turn let to embarrassing injury and tremendous emotional distress. Read more - Bed bug bite suit alleges "embarrassing" injury.
Hilton Suites, Phoenix: Sued for $6,000,000 due to bed bug bites from stay. An opera singer claimed she received 150 bed bug bites. Source: North Country Gazette.
Hotel Pennsylvania, New York: Unspecified damages sought for physical pain, mental anguish, emotional stress and lost earning due to bed bugs
Marriott, Pennsylvania (Springhills Suites Plymouth Meeting, PA): Sued for negligence for injuries due to bed bug bites.
Milford Plaza, New York: Sued for $2,000,000 and for negligence
Nevele Hotel, Ellenville NY (3/9/06) - A couple that stayed at the Nevele resort sued for $20,000,000 as a results of the wife receiving 500 bed bug bites. The suit was brought by attorney Allan J. Schnurman. Read more - Couple Files $20 Million Lawsuit for Bedbug Bites.
Ramada Plaza Hotel, San Francisco: A woman staying at the hotel brought a lawsuit against a claim that she received 400 bedbug bites during her stay at the hotel over a 3 day period. The case was settled for $71,000. Read more - Downtown Bedbug Attack Costs Ramada $71,000.
Waldorf Astoria,
New York: A Michigan couple and Long Island
woman brought suite against the hotel for bed bugs. The
Michigan woman, Christine Drabicki claimed that she received more than
100 bed bug bites and incurred $8,000 in cleaning bills after staying
at
the hotel. The hotel's owner, Hilton, claimed that
exterminators found no bed bugs in the hotel in either case.
Read more in this New York Daily News story titled: "Waldorf-Astoria
visit left Michigan family infested by bed bugs, covered in bites and
ashamed"
Bed Bug Video: Bed Bugs Waldorf Astoria Hotel
Motel 6, Chicago: Sued by a brother and sister staying in the motel for bed bugs. Couple won $372,000 for damages related to bed bug bites. In the case, the court found that the motel chain knew that the motel was infested and did not treat the property. Under Illinois law, punitive damages can be paid when a defendant has committed, "willful and wanton conduct." which is clearly the case here. Each plaintiff was awarded $5,000 in compensatory damages and 4186,000 in punitive damages. Read more - Illinois Jury's 37:1 Punitive Award in Bedbug Lawsuit is upheld.
Barona Casino (2/7/08): Sued the hotel claiming they were bitten by bed bugs. Robert and Gloria Chisley claimed they were bitten over 100 times by bed bugs.
Cruise Ships Bed Bug Lawsuit:
We could not find any cases of lawsuits regarding bed bugs cruise ship problems. We did find reports of a couple finding bed bugs on a cruise ship and then being offered a discount of a future trip (Resort Trades, July/August 2005).
Employee and Work Related Bed Bug Lawsuits:
Newspaper Reporter Dismissed over Bed Bugs: Reporter George Gombossy, a 40 year veteran of the paper, claims he was dismissed by the Hartford Courant after he claimed a major advertiser, Sleepys, sold a bed bug infested mattress. The paper claims that the reporter failed to reapply for his position after changes in management.
Employee Sues Company Over Bed Bugs (10/07): A Fox news cable network employee sued her employer's building manger and owner (Beacon Capital Partners, Cushman & Wakefield) after she claims that she brought home bed bugs from work. The office was located at1211 Avenue of the Americas in New York City. The infestation was caused by a co-worker that was sharing a desk with the plaintiff. The bed bugs came from the co-workers bed bug infested apartment. The plaintiff received Workman's Comp from Fox for the incident.
The plaintiff was represented by Alan Schnurman of Zalman and Schnurman, a firm that has experience with bed bug related cases.
Update: The judge threw out this lawsuit on the grounds that workers can’t necessarily hold their employers’ landlords responsible for injuries on the job (4/22/11, Washington Post).
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The Deathly Bed Bug Itch from a Hotel Stay
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My boyfriend was out of town with his job and after the 1st night for the next 2 1/2 weeks he complained about itching, bumps, and lumps on his upper body....
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