Seattle Personal Injury Attorney Chris Thayer
Seattle Personal Injury Attorney Chris Thayer
Handling Personal Injury Claims in the Seattle Area and Throughout Washington Since 1995

My name is Chris Thayer and I am a personal injury attorney practicing in downtown Seattle. I handle personal injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death claims throughout the greater Seattle area, including Issaquah, Mercer Island and Kirkland.

I am here to help you.

Call for a free consultation (206) 340-2008

Have You Gotten Bed Bugs at a Seattle Hotel or Motel?

Posted Friday, September 3, 2021 by Chris Thayer

Most people go to a hotel for a relaxing getaway, and trust that their experience will be clean and safe. It is reasonable to put your trust in hotels, as they have a duty of care to their guests. If hotels breach this duty of care by acting negligently or recklessly, they become liable for any financial or physical harm that occurs as a result. Bed bugs are small insects, but they can do a great amount of harm. If you have suffered bed bug bites, you know that they are no joke. Bed bug bites can be pervasive, painful, and result in serious complications. Itchy, painful bites can become infected wounds or trigger serious allergic reactions. Sometimes the bites cause permanent scarring, and other times the bed bug infestation at the hotel can spread to guests’ homes and workplaces, resulting in extensive property, career, and personal damage.

*When Can a Hotel be Sued for Bed Bugs?* Bed bugs are, to some degree, inevitable in a hotel setting. With so many people coming and going, and the impressive ability of bed bugs to travel on luggage and clothing, most establishments deal with some degree of exposure, it is how they respond to the information that matters. It is possible to hold a hotel or motel liable for bed bug-related injuries in Washington state, but there is one catch — the establishment had to have been aware of the infestation. If the hotel had knowledge of the bed bugs, that means they had an opportunity to address and exterminate the bed bugs. If they did not take reasonable action to do so, then they have breached their duty of reasonable care, and they become liable to future guests for any harm that results due to their inaction. If, in addition to failing to remedy the situation, the hotel or motel also attempted to conceal or lie about an infestation, further exposing guests to bed bug bites and harm, then punitive damages will likely be appropriate, and they may be into the millions.

**Bringing a Lawsuit for Bed Bugs

**If you and your family have suffered bed bug bites in a Seattle-area hotel or motel, you are familiar with the catastrophic consequences that a bed bug infestation can have. People can require hospitalization and medical treatment as well as time off of work. Property damage may be extensive in these claims if personal clothing, furniture, and bedding was infested. Pain and suffering also tends to be generous in these claims as the bites can be extremely painful, often causing people to scratch until the skin breaks, and resulting in infections.

*Talk to a Seattle Personal Injury Lawyer * If you have suffered bed bug injuries at a hotel, motel, or rental property in Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, Issaquah, or the greater Washington State area, you do not have to navigate the process alone. The experienced personal injury lawyers at Pivotal Law Group are ready to help. Contact Pivotal Law Group today to schedule a consultation.