$20 Million for Bedbug Bites?
Travel Blog • Jim Benning • 03.09.06 | 7:48 PM ET
A couple is suing the Nevele Hotel in New York’s Catskills for $20 million, claiming they suffered more than 500 bedbug bites during a July stay. Yikes. That’s a lot of bites—and a lot of money. We’re not entirely surprised to hear about the bugs, though. As we noted here, the New York Times reported last year that bedbugs were “spreading through New York like a swarm of locusts on a lush field of wheat.”
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Jim Benning is the editor and co-founder of World Hum.
Kelsey 03.09.06 | 11:26 PM ET
One bite, two bite, three bite…who the heck counts 500 bites?
Well, I guess if I thought each bite would be worth $40,000, I’d count ‘em too.
Gillian 03.11.06 | 7:12 AM ET
I’ve been backpacking across Australia and a few other countries for the past year, and if I got 20 million for every time i’ve come across bedbugs Í‘d be a billionaire by now. The woman suing is ridiculous. Get over it already, it’s not the hotel’s fault, someone else brought them in and they can’t detect them until they bite someone. Lawsuits like this are the reasons why everyone hates the US so much, and if she is successful, I’d say the countries reputation is well deserved.
Kathy 04.28.06 | 5:41 PM ET
The reason this couple is suing is because the hotel knew there was a bedbug problem in the room they placed the couple in. While it’s not the hotel’s fault the bedbugs were brought in by someone else. It IS the hotels fault to still let that room be occupied by paying guests while still infested with blood sucking bedbugs. The room needs to be off limits to hotel guests while being exterminated and until the room is bug free.
It is the responsibility of the hotel to provide a clean, safe and bug free stay for all guests, especially paying guests.
The hotel knew there was a problem and they put this couple at risk. She was bit hundreds of times and the photos show her painful ordeal.
I hope she wins her lawsuit on some level. It is unlikely should would get a settlement for $20 Million. But she is trying to get the Hotel’s attention and with a $20 Million demand, she accomplished that.
It is the hotel’s fault. They did know. And thank God we live in a country where we have the opportunity to hold negligent corporations responsible when they put our health at risk.
Kyiah 08.03.06 | 12:50 AM ET
The coffee was too hot. I always thought that was the point,but they won millions.Here this woman is trying to recieve a phenomenal amount of cash for an act of mother nature.Our country should be ashamed. God bless America.Only here could one become a millionaire because of bug bites