Waldorf-Astoria Sued Third Time for Bed Bugs

Svetlana Tendler, alleging that she was plagued by bed bugs in the same hotel as two other previous claimants, is suing the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City, as reported in AOL Travel News and The Gothamist.

Tendler, a doctor and stay-at-home mom, spent the night at the hotel in August of 2007.  She is suing for $10 million in compensation.

Two other lawsuits have been filed against the hotel but those were both from incidents that occurred in 2010.  This latest lawsuit stems from an event occurring at a much earlier time: The summer of 2007.  It is now suggested that the problem with bedbugs at the Waldorf-Astoria has been going on longer than previously perceived.

Irina Lust, Tendler's attorney, claims that the three-year wait to file was due to her client's expectation that the hotel would pursue an out-of-court settlement. 

The lawsuit contends that Tendler suffered from welts over her entire body that were red, irritated, inflamed, swollen and blotchy.  An allergic reaction from the bites resulted in Tendler having a "serious infection and significant prominent scarring" that will require plastic surgery to correct.

Tendler also resorted to treatments of cortisone and antibiotics.  This course of action eventually led to fungal face infections, severe facial folliculitis, and complications to her chest, upper back, neck and scalp.

So far Tendler has paid for her own treatments, but the settlement will compensate for past medical expenses as well as plastic surgery that she also contends is necessary.

Tendler said, "For the last 3 years I tried to recover from the bed bugs incident and forget about it, but I felt like something very important was taken from my life that night and was never returned. I felt like I was eaten alive by bed bugs which have attacked my body."

Lust added, "My client is terrified of staying at hotels after the incident and always carries bed bug spray, a magnifying glass and a flashlight to help her locate bed bugs whenever she is forced to stay at hotels. Mrs. Tendler developed anxiety and sleep disorders. She is always scared that she might bring bed bugs back to her family home after staying at a hotel."

Lust said that Tendler, after one night of a planned two-night stay, after being bitten in her sleep gathered one of the bed bugs and brought it to the front desk's hotel staff in a cup.  Brad Mills, the manager, apologized and offered a room discount.  The couple - Tendler's husband had slept in a separate bed that was apparently bug-free - decided to depart the hotel instead.

An investigation by the hotel warranted a letter to the couple: No bed bugs were located in their room.  No other communication was made in the matter.

When Tendler got to her own home, she said that her reaction to the bites worsened.  She was plagued with fatigue, headaches, drowsiness and, felt her face was in disarray.  Embarrassed to go out in public, the couple was forced to cancel a vacation to Bermuda that was planned just a few days after they had returned from New York.

The Waldorf-Astoria has not responded in requests for comment.

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