Two guests who said they were devoured by bed bugs at a Ventura hotel have won a multimillion-dollar payout in a civil lawsuit.
On Friday, a jury ordered the Shores Inn to pay Alvaro Gutierrez and Ramiro Sanchez $2 million in what may be one of the largest bed bug-related jury awards on record, according to the Los Angeles Times, which cited court records.
According to their complaint, Gutierrez and Sanchez stayed at the coastal hotel, located at 1059 S. Seaward Ave., for one night on Feb. 7, 2020.
“The bed bugs latched onto the plaintiffs while they slept, sucked their blood until they were gorged, and resisted eradication,” the lawsuit alleged, according to the Times.
The plaintiffs also claimed that hotel management was aware of the infestation from numerous online reviews, but failed to address the problem.
A representative for the Shores Inn did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Times, nor did an attorney representing the hotel.
Gutierrez was awarded $400,000 for pain, disfigurement, grief, and emotional distress, while Sanchez was awarded $600,000 for similar damages. The jury also awarded each man $500,000 in punitive damages.
The hotel is expected to appeal the decision.