Tourist Bitten By Bedbugs 'Hundreds Of Times' At California Vacation Rental

A British tourist was vacationing at a rental property in the Hollywood Hills in 2015 when something went horribly wrong. According to KTLA, Meshak Moore booked the rental for three months, but left within four weeks after being bitten by bedbugs "hundreds of times" during his stay.

When he turned town the covers to inspect the mattress, he found a "large infestation of bedbugs" that continued throughout the headboard and bed frame. The bites caused Moore to experience great physical and emotional discomfort to the point that he packed up all of his things and left the property two months early.

Property owners Henry Huang and Robert Norris lived on site and saw Moore often while he was staying at their rental. Moore did not relay to the owners that he was being bitten. In fact, Huang and Norris had no idea that the man was experiencing such distress until he had already left the property for good. Moore eventually filed a lawsuit against the owners, and they were found "negligent and liable" for the tenant's injuries during his stay.

The tourist was recently awarded $375,000 as a settlement for bedbug bites obtained during his stay at the rental nearly 8 years ago. He was initially rewarded $500,000, but was "faulted" for not bringing the issue to the owners' attention immediately.

Moore’s lawyer, Brian Virag, mentioned that despite the reduction, $375,000 is still the "largest award ever recorded against a vacation rental property" for bedbug bites.