Miami Resort Injury Lawyer Blog

Have you ever walked into a hotel after a long day traveling only to hear a loud raucous party down the hall. Or, you hear the broken ice maker making that annoying clanking noise that is echoing through the hall.

For corporate jet-setters who need a good night's rest to propel them through on-the-road meetings and presentations, noisy hotel rooms can be the bane of their business trips.

Noise was the top hotel complaint cited by respondents in a 2011 survey of hotel guest satisfaction. It beat out smelly rooms, sluggish Web connections and rude staff.

Some hotels have taken a pro-active approach to combat the noisy room problem by having snore monitors patrol the hallways and also trying out snore absorption rooms.

Other irritants include slamming doors, chattering hotel staff, amorous couples next door, revving truck engines in the parking lot and leaking toilets.

Then there are bed bugs. Recently, we have seen an explosion of bed bug attacks on planes, in New York city, and in other hotels. Florida hotels have been cited for 81 infestations. This number includes 11 in Broward County and four in Palm Beach County. According to www.bedbugregistry.com Florida has 319 bug reports.

How about room service? Food poisoning at hotels is also on the rise.

Continue reading "Snore Monitors? Noisy Ice Makers? Bed Bugs? Top Nuisances for Hotel Guests." »

It seems like bed bugs just love the Big Apple! For the second year in a row, New York City tops the list for bed bug infestations. However, this really should not come as a surprise since NYC is a major metropolis. Infestations have popped in apartment buildings, businesses, department stores and magazine offices.

Luckily, Miami is not on the list.

The figures concerning infestation numbers were released by Terminix, which feels the increase in infestations may be attributed to the fact that consumers are more aware of the issue. Consumers are also much more on the look out for the pesky little creatures.

As we've discussed in the past, bed bugs have always been around. However, ever since certain pesticides, such as DDT, were banned we have seen a rise in bed bug infestations. With the rise in infestations, there has been a rise in claims against hotels because of their guests being bitten by bed bugs.

If someone is bitten by bed bugs while at a hotel, they may have a claim against that hotel. Hotels owe their guests a duty of care. Part of this duty of care is to ensure that guests are not going to be attacked by pests. Failure to protect hotel guests from being bitten by bed bugs may constitute negligence.

If you or a loved one are bitten by bed bugs while staying at a hotel, don't hesitate to contact Alvarez & Barbara, LLP. Not only are we experienced with claims against hotels, we have successfully handled bed bug claims.

It looks like bed bugs are here to stay. With the banning of many pesticides that were historically used to combat bed bugs, we've seen a major rise in bed bug infestations.

As children, we believed bed bugs to be mythical creatures we had to watch for while sleeping even though we had never seen one. Nowadays, however, we know bed bugs are real and that we have to worry about them in places other than our beds. One of these places is a plane.

USA Today is reporting that British Airways had to ground two planes due to a bed bug infestation. They discovered the problem after a passenger complained of bed bug bites. Unfortunately, the passenger, a Yahoo executive, dealt with the bugs on two separate intercontinental flights. The airline is facing scrutiny because it failed to immediately respond to the passenger's complaint and was slow to address the issue.

Its believed that bed bugs get on planes by hitching rides on actual passengers or on their luggage. We've all heard about bed bugs in hotel rooms and in luggage. Considering that bed bug complaints usually involve the tourism or travel industries, airlines should be proactive in its approach to bed bugs.

Currently, airlines do not inspect their planes after every trip. Should we expect airlines to do so? Probably not just because of the sheer magnitude of flights that cris-cross the planet on a daily basis. It would be unreasonable. However, airlines should quickly respond to bed bug complaints and immediately address an infestation.

If you, or a loved one, have been attacked by bed bugs while staying at a hotel, motel or resort, or while on a plane, then please contact our office to discuss your legal rights. We do not charge for the initial consultation, and if we don't make a recovery on your behalf then you do not owe us attorney fees. Call us today.

Many of us have heard about the news reports regarding bed bugs. However, most of these reports have been coming out of New York City. Now, Florida is seeing an increase in the number of bed bug reports.

According to the Sun Sentinel, Florida hotels have been cited for 81 infestations. This number includes 11 in Broward County and four in Palm Beach County. According to www.bedbugregistry.com Florida has 319 bug reports.

Due to the increase in bed bug complaints, the State's agriculture and consumer services commissioner and state surgeon general are reminding Florida residents to hire licensed pest control companies to help contain breakouts of bed bugs in homes and businesses.

In a news release from Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson's office, he stated that staying at a hotel, going to the movies, riding in a taxi are now commonplace activities that have the potential of spreading bed bugs.

As we've previously discussed, before the 1950s bed bugs were quite common in the US. However, few people know much about them these days because the use of chlorinated pesticides, such as the presently-banned DDT, wiped the insects out in the past. Since many of these pesticides can no longer be used, the bed bugs have staged a come back.

If you, or a loved one, have been attacked by bed bugs while staying at a hotel, motel or resort, then please contact our office to discuss your legal rights. We do not charge for the initial consultation, and if we don't make a recovery on your behalf then you do not owe us attorney fees. Call us today.

"Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite." Before the recent surge in bedbug infestations that phrase was seen as a simple joke. Now, just hearing the word bedbug makes the average person begin to feel itchy. Hopefully, we get can get back to joking about bedbugs.

Before we got serious about bedbugs, previous generations were able to almost nearly wipeout bedbugs. During the 1950s, pesticides, such as the presently-banned DDT, were used to eradicate bedbugs. Years have passed since the last time bedbugs were a legitimate concern, but these resilient creatures have proven to be quite resilient.

Why are bedbugs such strong, persistent animals? For the most part, it's because of their ability to hide. A bedbug's small size allows it to easily hide in the smallest of crevices and cracks in headboards, mattress seams, box springs, and baseboards. One professional has even described seeing bed bugs squeeze between the zipper teeth of ineffective mattresses. This makes detection very difficult. Secondly, bed bugs do not need to eat very often. Scientists state a bedbug can survive 550 days without food.

People often come into contact with bedbugs while staying at hotels. Here are a few ways to avoid bedbugs when you travel:

1. Check for Complaints. Before you book a room make sure to use the internet to search for bedbug complaints. Great places to check for complaints are www.BedBugger.com and www.BedBugRegistry.com.

2. Inspect the Room. At the very least, you should check the mattress. Remove all the sheets and check all the creases in the mattress. Look for fecal matter, live bugs, dead bugs, and blood spots. Don't forget to check the mattress and headboard.

3. Keep your Luggage away from the Bed. The safest spot in the hotel room for your luggage is the bathroom. Also, make sure you don't unpack your clothes on the bed. Keep your luggage off the floor and use the stand most hotels provide.

4. Use Plastic Bags for Laundry. Place all your dirty laundry in a plastic bag to avoid contaminating your clean clothes.

5. Wash Everything. Once you return home, you should immediately wash your clothes. It is also best to dry the clothes in the hottest temperature possible.

Continue reading "Fighting Bed Bugs" »

New York City is in the process of launching a widespread public awareness campaign to help stop the growing spread of bedbugs. Recent reports reveal that 1 of every 15 New Yorkers battled bed bugs last year.

Bedbugs can cause great mental anguish with their persistent and fast-growing infestations, and they have rapidly multiplied throughout New York and many other US cities in recent years.

If you are thinking of taking a trip, it is important to keep a look-out for these creepy-crawling pests. Sadly, there has been a recent increase of travelers encountering bed bugs during their stays away from home, especially those in New York City. It may be wise to regularly check TripAdvisor or other travel-review websites for information and even photos confirming the presence of bed bugs in hotels.

In New York City, bed bugs have been discovered in theaters, clothing stores, office buildings, housing projects, and posh apartments. The recent outbreak in New York City also resulted in the closing of two trendy retail shops that prompted city officials to examine how they deal with the growing nuisance.

Bedbugs are about the size of an apple seed and often times live in places other than just beds. They can slip into cracks, and outlets, picture frames, lamps, and really just about any tiny space. Sadly, people who have bedbugs often never actually see them.

New York City is in the process of spending approximately $500,000 to begin educating the public on the growing bedbug epidemic. It is believed that more than 6% of all New Yorkers had battled bedbugs in the past year. That figure would equal roughly 400,000 adults in New York City. As a result, New York is taking the affirmative step of trying to educate the public in an effort to prevent the further spread of bedbugs. Indeed, the Environmental Protection Agency even recently hosted its first ever National Bedbugs Summit in response to the growing problem.

Continue reading "New York Spends Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars to Combat Bed Bugs While Bed Bug Attacks Continue to Increase In Miami and Nationally " »

Florida, with its sub-tropical climate and natural environment, is heaven for bed bugs. Now, with the summer months ahead of us, and Memorial Day weekend upon us, bed bugs are everywhere, even in the comfort of our own beds.

Bed bugs seek out people and animals, generally at night while these hosts are asleep, and painlessly sip a few drops of blood. These small wingless insects do a great job at hiding in beds, furniture, and crevices with the help of their tiny bodies and fast-moving pace. Bed bugs will commonly bite on the neck, arms, hands, and face. Small, flat, or raised bumps on the skin are the most common signs of a bite; redness, swelling, and itching commonly occur. Bed bugs are common to houses, dormitories, and even fancy and upscale hotel and resort rooms. And that includes many hotels and resorts right here in Florida, and South Florida.

As expected, tourism booms during the summer months. Therefore, if you are thinking of taking a trip, it is important to keep a look-out for these creepy-crawling pests. Sadly, there has been a recent increase of travelers encountering bed bugs during their stays away from home. It may be wise to regularly check TripAdvisor or other travel-review websites for information and even photos confirming the presence of bed bugs in hotels.

If signs of bed bugs are observed where you are staying, you may need to take extra precautions as you may inadvertently transport bed bugs or their eggs in your luggage and other personal effects. Clothing should be washed with hot water as soon as these items are brought back into the home. Suitcases should be carefully inspected, scrubbed with a stiff brush, and thoroughly vacuumed. Leaving such luggage for several hours in a closed vehicle in full summer sun may render the items bug free.

Continue reading "Bed Bug Attacks on the Rise at Hotels & Resorts " »

"Don't let the bedbugs bite"-- it's a common refrain most of us don't think twice about anymore. But according to a recent Dateline NBC report, even the cleanest places can have a problem with bedbugs.

Consequently, bed bugs are becoming an all too common occurrence in hotels and resorts throughout the country, and especially here in South Florida.

Bed bugs are wingless creatures that are quite small, but still visible to the naked ye. The most distinguishing parts is their red brown color and their flatness. Also, they like to eat blood, just like ticks. But after they eat blood they are bright red.

Bed bugs are nocturnal. If you get bit, you will most likely be bit on the upper body. A truly disturbing fact is that bed bugs can live up to one year without feeding. So left on their own through abandoned hotel suites, or summer homes, they will still be alive and well and ready to feed when they find an animal or human.

A bed bug bite looks like a small welt, and it burns and/or itches. Red bumps that sting and/or itch like crazy, would be how bed bug bite victims describe it. You can't feel a bed bug bite while it happens (they take about five minutes to feed).

You can arm yourself against the bed bug attacks by inspecting the premises and bedding.

Please contact our office if you, or a loved one, have been bitten by bed bugs while staying in a South Florida resort or hotel.