Edmonton lawyer awarded nearly $24,000 for bed bug bites suffered at the Chateau Lake Louise – Calgary Herald

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Corbett accepted evidence from Abdulhak that he awoke on the mornings of May 5 and 6, 2019 with itchy and painful rashes on multiple parts of his body

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Its enough to make your skin crawl.

An Edmonton lawyer has been awarded nearly $24,000 in damages after he was repeatedly bitten by bed bugs while staying at the posh Chateau Lake Louise, west of Calgary.

Small claims court Judge Sandra Corbett ruled in a written decision that the resort was liable for both physical and psychological injuries suffered by Omar Abdulhak while staying at the picturesque mountain hotel in May 2019.

Corbett accepted evidence from Abdulhak that he awoke on the mornings of May 5 and 6, 2019, with itchy and painful rashes on multiple parts of his body.

After checking out on May 7, he visited his family physician, Dr. Aarif Pathan, the following day after a co-worker suggested he might have been bitten by bed bugs.

Omar testified that the itching continued to persist and the swelling was still there, Corbett wrote.

He testified that Dr. Pathan examined the markings on his chest, stomach, shoulder area and rib cage, and told him that these spots were bed bug bites, the judge said, noting the testimony was supported by a report by the doctor that was made an exhibit in the trial.

Evidence called on behalf of the resort showed as a result of Abdulhaks complaint, a pest inspection was done on the room the day he checked out.

As no evidence of bed bug activity was found . . . the hotel room was put back into service, Corbett said.

The hotel room was then occupied by at least one guest for six separate stays between May 10 and 20, 2019, and the CLL received no bed bug complaints from any of those stays.

But the judge noted a past inspection by the same company failed to find evidence, despite a bug being found by a guest after the testing.

She also said just because other complaints werent received didnt mean bed bugs were not in Omars room while he was staying at the hotel.

I find, on a balance of probabilities, that Omar was bitten by bed bugs while staying at the CLL.

Corbett went on to find there was a reasonable foreseeability of risk to Abdulhak by the hotel if bitten by bed bugs.

The CLLs corporate representative (David) Barbour testified that bed bugs are a reality of the hospitality industry. The CLL acknowledged that it had past incidents of bed bug activity in both its hotel guest rooms and staff residences.

The judge found the hotel did not take enough steps to ensure its guests would not be subjected to the risk of bed bug bites.

Corbett awarded Abdulhak $15,000 in general damages for his physical and psychological suffering, which included nightmares of bugs crawling on his chest and stomach.

She also ordered Fairmont Hotels Inc. to pay him $8,475 for lost wages and $400 for psychological treatment.

KMartin@postmedia.com

Twitter: @KMartinCourts

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Edmonton lawyer awarded nearly $24,000 for bed bug bites suffered at the Chateau Lake Louise - Calgary Herald