Florida couple bitten by mattress bugs at Myrtle Seashore lodge took infestation house, lawsuit says

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) — A couple who say they were bitten by bed bugs at a Myrtle Beach hotel in September took the infestation home in Florida, according to a lawsuit filed earlier this month.

Jacob and Nicole Makins were staying at the South Bay Inn & Suites on North Ocean Boulevard between Sept. 21 and Sept. 25 when they were bitten by bed bugs while they were sleeping, according to the lawsuit, filed Dec. 9 in Horry County Court of Commons pleas.

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It is believed that the bed bugs were in the mattress, bedding and carpet in the room. According to the lawsuit, the Makins allege the bed bugs from the hotel infested their home in Hernando County, Fla.

The lawsuit alleges that the South Bay Inn & Suites knew or should have known there was a bed bug infestation in the room. The hotel is accused of not treating the room before the makins stayed in the room. The hotel is accused of negligence, negligence, recklessness and unfair trading practices.

The lawsuit states that the hotel’s negligence caused emotional distress, embarrassment, medical expenses and pain to the Makins.

The lawsuit also accused the hotel of unfair trading practices. It is claimed that the hotel was unfair and misleading by misrepresenting the condition of the room.

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The Makins are seeking actual, incidental, consequential, and punitive damages in addition to court costs. News13 has contacted the South Bay Inn & Suites for comment and is awaiting response.

The couple is represented by Trevor Eddy of The Eddy Law Firm in Columbia, which has dealt with dozens of bed bug cases.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) does not respond to complaints about bed bugs in hotels, motels, homes, apartments, shelters, thrift stores or amusement parks, according to the information the agency sent in response to a freedom of information request from News13 on bed bug complaints in the Myrtle Beach area in November 2020.

While travel review websites are riddled with visitors claiming they experienced bed bugs during their stay, there is no official agency that follows up complaints about bed bugs in the vacation rentals industry, and it is unknown how common they are in South Carolina hotels are to be found.