£4,500 Compensation Awarded After Bed Bug Ordeal

Have you experienced stress and discomfort after being bitten by bed bugs while on holiday? Whether it took place abroad or in England and Wales, at the Holiday Claims Bureau, we are able to guide you through the claims process wherever the incident occurred to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.

Recently, the Holiday Claims Bureau successfully secured £4,500 in compensation for a client who encountered bed bugs at Martello Beach Holiday Park during a caravan holiday in Clacton-On-Sea.

Our Client’s Bed Bug Nightmare

On 14th July 2023, our client booked a seven-night stay at the caravan park in order to have a relaxing break. However, the trip was anything but relaxing as our client soon noticed he was covered in bed bug bites after noticing red, itchy spots clustering across his skin.

Our client continued to experience these symptoms and as a consequence attended the local hospital on several occasions due to the severity of his injuries. On 19th July 2023, with his symptoms not alleviating, our client inspected the bed and noticed an infestation of bed bugs under his mattress.
Prompt action was taken, and our client took photographs of the bed bugs along with video footage and immediately reported it to management. Pest control was contacted the following day, and the caravan was fumigated.

Take Action If You Suspect Bed Bugs

It is important that if you suspect you have been exposed to bed bugs that immediate action is taken to document the bed bugs. This ensures that you are in a position to present a strong case when claiming compensation.

The three key steps to take are:

1. Take photographs and videos of the bed bugs on site – this ensures that you can demonstrate the bed bugs were in the bed where you stayed, and any injuries suffered must have been caused by the bed bugs
2. Document your injuries by taking photographs and contacting your GP if symptoms deteriorate along with documenting any other expenses incurred as a result of the bed bugs– this ensures you have medical evidence to prove the extent of your injuries and allows you to claim what you are entitled to.
3. Report the bed bugs to management, ensure you get a response in writing if possible and follow up to check if they contact pest control – this ensures an external report can be made documenting bed bugs, or if they fail to contact pest control, it shows that their hygiene protocols are not up to standard.

Our client took these steps, he made note of the effect the bed bug bites had on his confidence and anxiety, and he made sure he had documented all evidence including his travel expenses to and from the hospital and the cost of his medication, which allowed us to claim back £4,500 for his injuries.

Initial Compensation Offer

The holiday park offered our client a full refund for his stay. This was not good enough given the distress he endured, the injuries he sustained, the effect the bites had on his work, his social relationships, and his ongoing anxiety.

It is important to understand your rights and what you could be entitled to. Even if you receive an offer of a refund, contact one of our legal experts at the Holiday Claims Bureau to ensure you get what you deserve.

Following the above incident, our client contacted us on his return home. The cost of his stay per person was just under £240, and we were able to claim back over 18-times that amount following his ordeal.

Holiday Claims Bureau are Instructed

Our team of dedicated experts at the Holiday Claims Bureau worked diligently to catalogue and review all of the available evidence, to draft a detailed claim, and ensure that our client had the best possible chance at success in their claim.

After submitting the claim, we received an admission of liability, and after obtaining a medical report, we entered negotiations with the holiday park to ensure our client got what he deserved. An offer was negotiated in the sum of £4,500.

Oliver Linton, acting on behalf of the client, reiterated that bed bugs are increasingly becoming a problem, both in the UK and abroad. He emphasised that hotels and holiday parks have a responsibility to ensure that the premises are free of bed bugs and that adequate steps are taken to make sure that guests are able to sleep in a safe and secure environment free from bed bugs.

“Unfortunately, not all precautions are taken seriously, and when this flippant attitude to hygiene leads to guests being exposed to bed bugs, it is important that this is highlighted and action is taken to ensure it does not happen again”, Mr Linton said.

Making a Claim

If you’ve ever suffered from bed bug bites during your hotel stay, you should know that you have the right to seek compensation. The Holiday Claims Bureau is here to assist you in navigating this process with our expertise in handling such cases.

To discuss your situation and learn more about the compensation you might be entitled to, contact us today at 0161 813 2131 or start your claim online. Don’t let your experience go unnoticed – take action and claim the compensation you deserve with the help of the Holiday Claims Bureau.