A hotel is being sued by one of its guests after a cockroach crawled into his ear while he was fast asleep, and allegedly left him with no hearing.
According to court documents, the disgusting incident happened at Sands Ocean Club in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the hotel is being accused of being “grossly negligent” on several counts, including failing to inspect for cockroaches, not having a pest control service in place and failing to clean the room.
Newsweek reports that Todd VanSickle, from Glenmont, Ohio, was asleep in his hotel room last July when the cockroach allegedly crawled into his ear.
It woke Mr VanSickle from his sleep, “causing extreme pain and loss of hearing”, states the lawsuit, and he claims to have subsequently suffered disruption to his daily routine, both at home and at work.
Mr VanSickle is suing Sands Ocean Club Homeowners Association and Ocean Annie's Operations Inc, which operates the hotel.
The lawsuit states that Mr VanSickle has “suffered painful and permanent injuries; has incurred and will continue to incur medical expenses; has suffered and will continue to suffer pain and discomfort; has suffered and will continue to suffer loss of wages and earning capacity”.
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According to Rentokil, cockroaches are the most common hotel pests, along with mice, rats and flies.
The company’s UK website says: “Cockroaches are known carriers of diseases such as salmonella, dysentery and gastroenteritis. Exposure to this pest poses significant health risks. Increases in eczema and asthma have even been linked to cockroach droppings.
“Cockroaches are very tough insects and their ability to breed rapidly makes professional treatment essential to control any infestation.
“Only expert products and solutions are powerful enough to eliminate all stages of their lifecycle.”
Newsweek contacted Sands Ocean Club Homeowners Association and Ocean Annie's Operations Inc for comment.
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