Where can I read about bed bug lawsuits? Here are some cases discussed online. (Links which are internal to the blog have additional links to news reports and sometimes case information.)
General
Article about bed bug lawsuits in New York City (Sept. 2008)
New Furniture Purchase
Furniture Rental
Customer of Aaron Rents (they rented an infested living room suite) 2007
Summer Camp
Family sues YMCA Camp Storer claiming kid brought bed bugs home from camp 2008
College Students
Multiple Portland State University students sue landlord (Park Plaza Apartments) over bed bugs here and here. (01/2010)
Cleveland law students sue Reserve Square landlord — see Tenants below (11/2008).
This Fordham student sued the provider of third-party student housing in the New Yorker Hotel. (09/2007)
Hotel guests
Woman stays in a San Francisco Ramada and gets 400 bites in three days; settles out of court for $71K. October 2008
Winnipeg Howard Johnson’s motel sued by Toronto resident, Steven Lipson April 2008
Milford Plaza, NYC hotel guest sues hotel and hotel’s PCO for negligence, in progress, March 2008 (punitive damages dropped); Bedbugger and New York Law Journal
Guest of Roger Smith Hotel, NYC, 2007
Siloam Springs (bed bugs in motel caused nightmares) 2007
NYC Opera Soprano at the Phoenix Hilton Suites 2006
Mandarin Oriental, London here and here and here. 2006
Barona Resort and Casino (Robert and Gloria Chisley suing for bed bug bites at resort; 2005, still pending as of 2008)
BURL MATHIAS and DESIREE MATHIAS, v. ACCOR ECONOMY LODGING, INC. and MOTEL 6 OPERATING L.P. (2003)
Portland State University student tenants sue private landlord (Park Plaza Apartments) (see College Students above) (01/2010).
Cleveland law student sues Reserve Square landlord after having bed bugs in two units (and gnats in a third) in one building (Nov. 2008).
Capricia Osirus of 23-25 Temple St. in Nashua, NH. (Aug. 2008)
Richard Jebb of 23-25 Temple St. in Nashua, NH. (Feb. 2008) Case lost, tenant counter-sued for back rent.
Presidential Towers in Chicago here and here and here. 2007
Maya Rudolph’s case: press is here. 2007
Brooklyn tenant sues 2007
Peter H. Young (Ludlow Street, NYC)
See also:
Landlords talking about bed bugs and How to Avoid a Bed Bug Lawsuit (for lawyers)
Hotel lawyers talking about bed bugs here and here and here.
Your rights as a tenant and how to organize.
This won’t ever be comprehensive, but there are obvious gaps, so feel free to post comments below with additional links I might add.
Can you help me find a lawyer?
No, sorry. We are not a legal service, we’re not lawyers, and we haven’t sued.
Similar Posts:
- Christian Hardigree on bed bug legal issues
- NH Bed Bugs: grassroots community organizing against bed bugs
- Village Voice’s Runnin’ Scared blog on bed bugs
- another Lawsuit: student bitten in Fordham’s satellite dorms @ The New Yorker Hotel
- new Ohio Hilton bed bug lawsuit
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Updated 8/7/2007.
hi
i am a social worker on a mental health team at a community clinic. we see clients on a weekly basis sometimes, and at their homes. more and more of our clients have bedbugs.
recently, i discovered i brought these bugs home.
the human ressources, the union, the safety at work department, . . . have no idea how to proceed with the case.
anyone else has a similar experience or any suggestions on how to respond to what i have to go through as a result of my work and for prevention in the futur.
thanks,
Liat
liat,
getting bed bugs at work is increasingly a problem for people in many professions.
this post is about lawsuits.
You might want to read the other FAQs (click the blue FAQs button at top right, or Frequently Asked Questions in the top menubar) in the section about avoiding bed bugs while you travel. Even though you’re not “traveling” per se, many of the same recommendations will apply.
Other FAQs may help you now, as you work to eliminate your bed bugs.
If you have further questions, you can go to the forums (orange button top right or click “Get advice” in the top menu bar). But please do read the FAQs first as I expect you will find them useful.
Need an attourney in the Phoenix/Mesa area. Have documented bed bug bites from hotel.
Hi Chris,
You might want to contact one of the lawyers mentioned in one of the suits above, or use the American Bar Association website for a lawyer referral.
Added Milford Plaza info
Stayed at the airport for a long delayed flight and got on the plane, saw a blanket near my seat and put it down. one hour later I felt bumps on the plane, payed it no mind. Got to the hotel ad found out I was bitten five times on my leg through my jeans. Put some alcohol and stuff on, woke up there was a huge mass on my leg. Came home broke into hives and was bitten on my couch six times over the last couple of months. Cleaned, through my couch out, called an exterminator, went to the doctor, but I never saw what bit me and neither did the bug guy. Any advice on what to do now????
All I had to do was threaten the word “law suit and lawyer” to my management company, they settled outside of court. HOWEVER, I think in the end I lost out because they accepted the offer rather quickly. I should have done more homework and requested more money to replace things like electronics. BUT on the other hand, I had caught my management company in a direct lie, in writing (email). I put in all my requests via email so I have track record. After four years of dealing with this company, I finally got the proof I needed for the law suit. So while I’m still losing out in the end, at least I’m getting some compensation. Keep record of everything you send them. Start sending written requests, make copies, record each time you contact them by phone. Just keep trying.
Hi
I read your info about the law case.
I just want some information from a lawyer.
Where do you live? How did you choose a lawyer?
Breakdown, clearly if you haven’t had the bites since and don’t find evidence of the bugs, there is nothing you can do.
What the hell is with people who don’t have the problem thinking they can just run off and sue someone? Just be glad you don’t have them!
violet,
Please see my comment to Chris on March 1, 2008 above, suggesting ways to find a lawyer.
Our Law Firm is handling bed bug cases in Michgian.
Varjabedian Attorneys, P.C.
248-355-0000
Added recent settlement in San Francisco Ramada case.
My son and I got eaten up by bed bugs staying in a cheap motel. We woke up to being bit and are suffering from several bites. I took pictures of these and when we told the manager that the room was infested, he offered 5 dollars off our next visit! He wrote the discount on the back of a business card. I couldn’t believe it, and it only confirmed that the management knew the room was infested. Do I have a case? and is there a lawyer in Dallas, Tx that could help me?
> Do I have a case?
I don’t know.
Is there a lawyer in Dallas….
I’m sure there is. I suggest finding someone who specializes in litigation (since that’s what you want to do), and I would try to find them by getting references from other people, rather than by looking for ads in the phone book or by asking the bar association. It’s my impression that the better lawyers already have enough business that they don’t need to advertise, and the people the B.A. sends you to have seemed to me pretty poor.
Anything with lawyers can be expensive. You should think/ask about how much damage you feel you’ve suffered and whether it seems likely you’d be able to recover that in court or not.
Let us know what happens.
- v
Looking for a lawyer in Colorado; received over 45 bedbug bites. And the Homestead suites offered me a 200.00 settlement
Chris,
I stayed in a Phoenix hotel last year Nov. 08, Was seriously snacked on by bed bugs, went to a doctor, have perm. scars all over my body including my face, and have contiplated an attorney but didnt know where to look for a good one. Will you let me know if you have found a capable atty. for your issue. If you dont mind could you share that name and connection with me?
Thanks
forever scarred
Bitten to Sweats,
I suggest reading some of the linked articles above and noting the lawyers who have often participated in multiple bed bug cases.
Good luck!
I’ve just read a web post of a man that was bitten by bed bugs at the same place that i was bitten. We were staying in San Diego of last year when checking out in the morning, we discover we have been suck and stuck pretty well. Our family of 5 suffered numerous of bites, we sustained a over 1000 bites, my daughter = 344 bites, my son1 = 426, my son2 = 139, my wife = 136 and myself = 69. I have good photos and records. I’ve been working with the Hotel assurance to be compensated. As of 4/22/09, I’ve given-up with them. I’m currently looking to find an Attorney that will handle my case. I currently reside in Arizona, the incident happen in San Diego. Can anyone help?
Reach me at ba69u@yahoo.com
hi,
i recently went to stay in fort. lauderdale , fl.hotel when the next morning i woke up and my daughter was complaining about “mosquito bites”, not while you sleep i told her but when she showed me her legs i was surprised but i didnt think it was bed bugs. now im back home in nj close to a month later and found bug bites all over my body, the night before i slept in my daughters bed and i decided to change her sheets……5 mins. later she’s screaming about a bug on her quilt…..it was a bed bug! i then flipped the mattress over and found about 10 of them. now i found them in my bed. i cant sleep thru the night, im not comfortable in my own home and im not sure what to do. should i pursue it as a lawsuit against the hotel i stayed at? i took pictures of my body with the bites on them and got a report from my hospital about it. please contact me back about this…….thanks!!!
Hi tasha,
I am not a lawyer and cannot advise you. You would need to consult a lawyer about whether you have a case.
I hope you will get a good experienced professional to inspect and treat your home ASAP. You can take photos of bites and other evidence and save receipts and samples, in case you need them.
In August of 2008 my family of 7 moved to this Beautiful 5 bedroom house in a very nice neighborhood in Thornton, CO. This house was incredible but little did we know we weren’t alone. The first week I was ate alive every night but my husband was sure it was skeeters because it was raining so much. By the end of the season, I was still being eaten alive and so were most of the family. Soon we decided it might be fleas and took steps to remedy that but found we were still being eaten every night. In November my husband found what was to become a hellish nightmare crawling across the bed. He picked it up and said its a bed bug. I said don’t even joke about that. We didn’t know then what a horror bed bugs were. Soon we looked it up online and found out how bad it could be.
We notified the landlord who told us to try and deal with it ourselves. We tried everything and nothing worked. Finally in January I called Orkin and got an inspection. They told us it was the worse they had seen. We had them out even in the day time. At any given time you could see several on any wall in any room including the bathroom. The landlord had to be threatened by Orkin (they said they would call the Health Board and have the house condemned) to get the house sprayed. In the meantime the water heater also went out so he told us to just move out.
We told him no and he finally paid for Orkin. After only 2 sprays (Orkin recommended at least 4) the landlord evicted us and told Orkin they were not to come back until we were out. He wouldn’t allow us anymore sprays to be sure they were gone and we didn’t transfer them to a new house so we had to trash all our furniture and beds.
We went to court and got a stipulation that stated we could stay for a month and the landlord would also supply us with a roll off dumpster to trash all our stuff. We destroyed everything so no one would take it out of the trash and infest their home. We called the health board on him to be sure the house was safe for the new tenants, we put ads on Craigslist telling people that house was infested and I even went to the house and told the new tenants everything. I hope they are safe.
Now we are considering suing him for our lost stuff. I really am traumatized by the whole thing and am so panicky whenever I feel something crawling on me at night. My daughter has scars from the bites and I lost a lot of stuff from these bugs. I hope no one ever goes through what we did. You rent a beautiful house and find such a horror is inside. We now think we are bed bug free. Its been 2 months since the move and we haven’t seen a bug in about a month. The first month after we only saw like 5-6 total. Maybe we won…
One last thing I want to add. Don’t try to fight these bugs yourself. The sprays in the stores only kill the bugs, not the eggs. You really need an exterminator to win. Don’t even waste your time on home remedies. You’ll just end up out more money then you would if you just called Orkin or someone like that. Also check your state laws, many say the landlord is responsible for getting rid of it if you didn’t cause the infestation. If you move into it, its their responsibility to fix the problem…
If I find a good lawyer in Colorado I will post his name.
where i can find lawyer that halding bed bug lawsuit in Dallas?
where can i find alawyer for the couch from rentacenter that was totally infested and now so is the house and my four children are in a total panic, RAC keeps laughing at me in our hometown store. Even told my neighbors i was a joke!!!
drpepperbud,
Articles about a case generally mention the lawyer’s name. I would recommend looking at the lawyers mentioned in the articles linked above. I would choose lawyers who either worked on furniture rental or new furniture sales cases, or who are on other types of bed bug cases linked above, but who are in your geographical area.
Sorry I cannot be more help.
Would like info about filing a lawsuit against management of condo building in New Jersey. Apparantly, infestation was well known for a long period of time. Nothing was done to prevent spread through large building. Bought condo – had inspection – no evidence and no information was given. Now, 2 years later, my condo is overtaken. Don’t know responsibility of condo management. Any thoughts?
I sold a coworker on mine a couch back in April of 2009 and now in September of 2009 and he is claiming that I gave him the bed bugs witch I’ve never had and until this day thank god I don’t. I have been giving him back a $100 out of the $200 that he gave me for the couch and the only reason I gave him that money is because his harassing me at work. I live in a condominium complex wish hold 18 unites and no one in my building have them. He has now threaten to take me to court what do you think I should do? do you think he has a cease?
Hi Di,
We are not lawyers and can’t give legal advice.
I also do not know all the details of when bed bugs first appeared, but it can be difficult to prove how bed bugs got into a home. (Sometimes, on the other hand, it seems more obvious.) I would suggest consulting a lawyer if he is threatening to sue. Good luck and sorry you have to deal with that.
Hi atomicbetty,
As I said to Di, we’re not lawyers and cannot give legal advice. That said, you should talk to a lawyer, you may well have a case. Good luck!
Same situation as Boydfamily except it was a purchase of a home. My wife (who was 5 months pregnant at the time) 4 year old son and I purchased a house in Ottawa, CA. After living in the house for 10 days my wife started complaining about itchy welts on her arms and legs. Someone joked to us about bedbugs. It turned out to be true. We found out that the previous owners had a problem just 2 1/2 months before the sale, treated twice over 2 weeks. Nobody lived in the house for 2 months and than they listed for sale. How could they know that the problem was taken care of???? They obviously did not disclose the fact of the bedbugs to us. We have moved in and out 4 times now and done several treatments. The worst part has to be explaining to your 4 year old that we don’t know for sure if the problem is fixed when he asked you as you are tucking him in at night. We have gutted the house tossed out at least half of our belonings, because we can’t be sure if it OK or not, and finally rebuilt and moved back in. We had a K-9 inspection twice. First time there were allerts thoughout the house and than we gutted and treated. Second inspection came up clean. We had Abell for the first few treatments and than they left us high and dry. We than went with Orkin for the last few and they were excellent. We have been back in the house for 5 weeks and nothing yet. We were very happy to celebrate our daughters first birthday in OUR home, unfortunatly alone because we do not want to have people over just in case. We have been dealing with this for 13 months. We file our lawsuit next week. Wish us luck!!!! Lets hope that the legal system works and we can protect other people from this happening to them. I can’t tell you how much this has cost us financially and emotionally.
Sorry it should be Ottawa Canada not California (CA) in previous post. Eh!
Added Portland State U students’ lawsuit (cross-listed under College Students and Tenants).