Guests Win $2 Million After One-Night Stay at Bug-Ridden Ventura Hotel.
A one-night stay turned into a nightmare and now, a jury has sent a strong message to hotel owners about ignoring health and safety hazards.
What was supposed to be a quiet evening in Ventura, California, quickly became a horror story for Alvaro Gutierrez and Ramiro Sanchez.
The two men checked into The Shores Inn, a modest motel near the Ventura coastline, only to wake up covered in painful, swollen bites.
They’d been attacked by bed bugs while they slept and this wasn’t an isolated case.
After years of warnings posted online by other guests, this latest episode was the one that finally went to court and resulted in one of the largest bed bug-related payouts ever recorded.
A Ventura County jury recently ordered the hotel to pay a total of $2 million in damages, including $1 million in punitive awards for what the jury saw as reckless disregard for guest safety.
Guests Say Hotel Ignored Infestation Warnings for Years
Gutierrez and Sanchez stayed at the inn on February 7, 2020. By morning, they were in visible distress, with their bodies covered in bites.
The two later sought medical treatment and eventually filed a lawsuit, accusing the hotel of turning a blind eye to what they said was a long-running infestation problem.
Their attorney, Brian Virag, who has handled similar cases across California, argued that the hotel had been warned again and again.
Online reviews dating back several years described similar conditions, yet no action had been taken. During the trial, the jury heard testimony about the men's pain, physical scarring, and the emotional toll that followed.
“This wasn’t just one bad night,” Virag told reporters after the verdict. “These men were disfigured and traumatized. The hotel could’ve prevented it and chose not to.”
The jury awarded $400,000 to Gutierrez and $600,000 to Sanchez for what they endured, everything from physical pain to emotional suffering and embarrassment. On top of that, they each received $500,000 in punitive damages.
After the verdict, the hotel’s legal team signaled they may challenge the outcome. A juror’s notebook reportedly contained a comment referring to the hotel as an “eyesore” that “should be torn down.”
There were also concerns that a couple of jurors may have passed by the property during the trial, raising the possibility of outside influence or bias.
Wendy Lascher, an experienced appellate attorney, has been brought on by the hotel to review potential next steps. No formal appeal has been filed yet, but it’s clear the case isn’t fully closed.
Hotels are expected to provide guests with more than just a place to sleep, they’re expected to offer a safe, clean environment. This ruling makes clear that ignoring health hazards like bed bugs can lead to serious legal consequences, especially if there’s evidence the property knew about the problem.
Lawyers who handle premises liability and personal injury claims are already pointing to this case as a prime example of how digital footprints, like guest reviews, can build a record of “constructive notice.”
In other words, if the problem was publicly known and documented, it becomes harder for property owners to claim ignorance.
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