Woman Sues Hotel in Spider Bite Incident

Black widows are considered one of the most poisonous spiders in the United States. According to researchers at North Carolina State University (NCSU), their venom is 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake’s. Pain from a black widow’s bite begins within minutes and can spread quickly to other parts of the body. Effects of the bite can include nausea, muscle aches, difficulty breathing and paralysis.

If a spider bite incident happened at a business or on someone else’s property, the owner might be liable. In the recent case, Coyle v Historic Mission Inn Corp (2018), the plaintiff sued a hotel for negligence after suffering injuries from a black widow’s bite.

Background on the Case

In May 2013, Michelle Coyle was having lunch with a friend on an outdoor patio at the Historic Mission Inn when a black widow bit her in the back. The venom spread to her spine which caused permanent weakness and numbness in her extremities. She was hospitalized for six days and as a result of the bite, lost full function of her left hand and leg.

The Lawsuit

Coyle filed a premises liability lawsuit against the Mission Inn claiming that the hotel owes a duty of reasonable care in maintaining its property in a safe condition. Coyle alleged that the hotel had knowledge of spiders, especially black widows, on its property. In the lawsuit, Coyle claimed that before her spider bite incident, there were 13 spider sightings reported to the hotel and three of those sightings were identified as black widows. She alleged that the hotel was negligent in failing to warn patrons of the danger of the spiders.

Motion for Summary Judgment

The Mission Inn filed a motion for summary judgment and asserted that it does not owe Coyle a duty to protect her from spider bites because such a duty would be unreasonable. The hotel argued that it had no knowledge of having black widows on its patio and its pest control protocols exceeded the industry standards.

The Trial Court

Despite evidence that shows there were multiple spider sightings reported to the Mission Inn, the trial court found that the hotel did not have a duty to protect against potential spider bites. The court explained that there was no foreseeability based on the history of spider sightings. The court granted the hotel’s motion for summary judgment and dismissed Coyle’s case.

The Court of Appeal’s Ruling

The California Court of Appeal examined the case and found that the Mission Inn had a duty to exercise reasonable care relating to spiders that cause a threat to its patrons. In its decision, the Court explained that “it’s a common knowledge that black widows are found within the hotel and that one must be warned or must be careful to avoid being bitten. Therefore, a rationally thoughtful property owner would consider the possibility that a black widow could bite a guest.”

The Court reversed the summary judgment and Coyle was awarded her costs on appeal. The case was sent back to the trial court for further proceedings.

Watch YouTube Video: 8 Common Household Items to treat Spider Bites. The video below identifies eight common items in your home that could help treat spider bites. If you are bitten by a black widow spider seek medical attention immediately.

Premises Liability

When a patron or a guest suffers an injury on someone else’s property or at a business, the property owner may be liable for the injury if it’s proven that the owner failed to maintain a safe condition on the premises.

Common Premises Liability Cases

Premises liability accidents can happen almost anywhere – at a store, at a park, at a hotel or even at a friend’s house. These accidents often occur due to the negligence of a property owner who failed to maintain a safe premise. Some of the most common types of premises liability cases include:

Amusement park accidents
Defective stairs or walkway injuries
Drowning or swimming pool accidents
Escalator or elevator injuries
Slip and fall accidents

Recoverable Damages

You may be able to file a premises liability claim with our injury attorney to recover damages and costs related to your incident. Some recoverable damages include:

Medical expenses
Loss of income
Loss of future earning capability
Permanent injuries
Physical therapy
Pain and suffering

Sacramento Premises Liability Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a premises liability lawyer in Sacramento. A property owner owes a responsibility to others to maintain the premises safely to prevent people from getting injured. If you or a loved one has been hurt at a business or on another person’s property due to negligence, call me for free, friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. I can also be reached online through our contact form.

I encourage you to look at our past settlements and jury verdicts.

I am a member of the Million Dollar Forum.

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Woman Sues Hotel in Spider Bite Incident