Facts

Plaintiff Melvin McSheehy sued defendants Fairfield Inn, Hanford Hotels LLC, Hanford Hotels Inc., Asia-Pacific Hospitality, and Marriott International Inc., in relation to a spider bite.

PLAINTIFFS' CONTENTIONS:
Plaintiff contended that he had been staying at the Fairfield Inn. Then on April 16, 2013, he went to bed between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. At 1 a.m. to 2 a.m., the next morning, he felt something crawling on his face. He tried to brush it away, but felt a bite. He got out of bed, turned on the light, and saw the spider on the bed. He killed it and went back to bed. The next morning at approximately 6 a.m., he noticed the bite mark on his left cheek. After a brief jog, he returned to the hotel and noticed that his left cheek was extremely swollen and painful. By lunchtime, his left cheek had become more painful and hard like a golf ball. Plaintiff was hospitalized for seven days.

Specials in Evidence

$133,802 $7,415 $3,000

Injuries

Plaintiff claimed he suffered cellulitis, an abscess, and edema in the neck, left mandibular and submandibular areas as a result of the bite, and there were rhonchi in the lung bases. A CT scan of plaintiff revealed artifact and left facial swelling and inflammation. Plaintiff claimed there was induration, redness and swelling of the left side of the face with tenderness down to the neck. Plaintiff's white blood cell count was abnormal. More than one year later, plaintiff claimed he was still suffering from light-headedness, interrupted sleep, and trouble focusing upon getting up in the morning. He was diagnosed as having residual symptoms post-spider bite, cellulitis, and compromised airways. He also claimed he has a permanent dimple deformity on the left cheek.

Result

The case went to mediation and settled for $100,000 with Liberty Mutual Insurance.

Other Information

FILING DATE: Oct. 1, 2013.