Hotel Bed Bug Infestation

When you stay in a hotel, you have a reasonable expectation that it will be kept clean. But when you get to your room, you might find that there’s a bed bug infestation. While this might seem like a fanciful idea, 97 of pest control professionals report treating bed bugs.  According to these experts, hotel rooms are one of the most common places to find bed bugs. But why are bed bugs such a big deal and what should you do if you come across an infestation? Let’s take a closer look at this issue and answer these questions.  

What Are Bed Bugs?

Before we look at why these pests are so bad, let’s look at what bed bugs are. These are small, oval-shaped insects. They tend to be 5 millimeters, which can make it very difficult for you to spot. They are attracted to warm areas. This makes the mattress very attractive, especially when your body heat warms it up. They can be transported to a new area on your clothes or suitcase. But, in most cases, the infestation will have already started before you arrived. They can lie dormant for a long time, as they wait for a suitable food source to arrive.

During the night, they tend to come out of the mattress and feed. When they do this, they will drink your blood. In the morning, you’ll find an itchy rash, caused by bed bug bites. It can also result in blistering. Typically, this will occur on the exposed areas of your body. For example, on the arms and legs.

Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation

There are a few signs that the area might have an infestation of bed bugs. First, you might notice that there are small dots on the mattress. These will often be the result of the bed bug’s poo. Another potential sign is that there will be small blood clusters on the sheets that weren’t there when you went to bed. You should also make sure to keep your eyes open for old skins. As the bed bugs grow, they will shed the old skins. These can further add to the skin agitation that people dealing with a bed bug infestation will experience. You might also detect a musty odor.

Typically, it can be hard to spot a bed bug infestation, especially if you are just staying in the hotel for a few nights. The reason for this is because it can take a few days for the symptoms, like itchy bumps and a rash to start to appear. The housekeeping service can also remove some of the potential signs of an infestation. For example, they might spray perfume to mask the smell. They might also vacuum up the old skins.

Effects Of A Bed Bug Infestation

Now that we know what a bed bug looks like and how to spot an infestation, let’s look at some of the ways that this can impact you. As we mentioned, they can be a cause of physical distress. Often, scratching and rashes can be highly difficult to deal with. It might also cause an allergic reaction. In some cases, the rashes can invite further infection. This can lead to more serious injuries, which has the potential to develop into a serious medical issue.

Bed bug bites can also have a big toll on your mental health. For example, when you are dealing with a bed bug infestation, you’ll often struggle to get to sleep during the night, as you are scratching so much. Also, once you find out that you’ve been getting attacked by bed bugs, it can create even more trauma. For example, it’s not uncommon for people to get anxiety about using a hotel service in the future, as they fear the same thing happening in the future.  

The problem can be exacerbated if you take the bed bugs home with you. To eradicate them, you’ll often need to hire a professional exterminator. In some cases, you might need to replace the furniture to remove them entirely. This can often cost thousands of dollars. It will also require a lot of time and effort to contain the infestation. For example, you’ll have to make sure that you seal bedding up, this will help prevent the infestation from spreading even further. You might also have to make sure that you scrub a mattress. You will also have to vacuum the house, to remove any eggs. Because bed bugs are so resilient it can take a few months before they will be completely eradicated.

What To Do After You Discover A Bed Bug Infestation?

After you find a bed bug infestation, there are a few things that you should do. First, you should make sure to protect your health and wellbeing. You should get in contact with a dermatologist. They will be able to examine your skin. This will give them the opportunity to thoroughly examine your skin. If you spot the rash quickly, this will give you a chance to get in front of a potential infection. You should also make sure to keep their reports. This can be a crucial piece of evidence that your lawyer will use to show the extent of the damage.

You should also make sure that you document the bed bug infestation. This will be crucial for your lawyer, especially if the hotel later tries to deny that it occurred. There are a few ways that you will be able to do this. First, you should make sure to write down a few key facts. For example, you should make a record of when you first noticed the infection. If anyone comes to the room, make sure to take their name and contact information. You can also try to take photographic evidence of the bed bug infestation in the hotel. This can be a great way of showing the extent of the problem. It will also allow you to include these costs in your claim.

If you are still in the hotel, you should make sure to report the problem to the manager. For your safety, you should also request a different room. For the safety of other guests, you might want to call in the state health department. This will ensure that the hotel is inspected and gets thoroughly cleaned. This will ensure that the bed bugs will be removed. If the state health department does inspect the hotel, request a copy of the report. This will be a key piece of evidence for your lawyer, proving that there was a bed bug infestation.

If you bring the bed bugs home, you will then need to remove them. Keep any bills that you received from the exterminator. You should also make sure to keep the receipts of any items that you needed to replace. When you do this, you can include these costs in your claim. 

Talk To A Lawyer

Once you’ve found out about the infestation, you’ll need to get in contact with a lawyer. They will be able to advise you about the legal issues that you’ll need to consider. Once you hire them, you should make sure to get them to check over any documents before you sign them. In some cases, a hotel might try to get you to sign a document that absolves them of any responsibility. If you sign this form, you might not be able to claim any compensation. Once you hire a lawyer, they will be able to help you gather the necessary documents to build a strong case. This will give you the best possible chance of getting a good payout.

What Will Your Lawyer Need To Prove?

To get compensation, there is a range of things that your lawyer will need to establish. For example, you’ll need to show that the hotel was negligent. This means that they failed to establish a safe environment for their guests. There are a few ways that your lawyer will be able to establish negligence. First, you can show that the hotel owner didn’t warn you about the infestation. You can also show that the staff didn’t properly inspect the property or didn’t have the right protocols in place. This could have created the conditions required for the infestation to take hold. As mentioned, the evidence you gather can be key to proving negligence. It can also be used to show that you were impacted by the bed bug infestation and that you deserve compensation.

 Talk To The Injury Firm Today

When you discover an infestation in your hotel, one of the first things that you should do is talk to a skilled lawyer. They will be able to help you navigate through this complex area of law, to get the compensation that you deserve. At The Injury Firm, our experienced team will be able to fight to get you the best possible outcome. So, make sure to get in contact today to learn more about how we can help you.  For a free consultation, call 954-951-0000.