The Ventura County Superior Court has ordered Dario Pini to pay $2 million in damages plus $94,247.40 in interest to two guests, Alvaro Gutierrez and Ramiro Sanchez, who were bitten by bedbugs after staying at Pini’s Shores Inn Motel back in 2020. This ruling is one of the largest bedbug payouts in U.S. history.
The jury had come to a verdict back in May, but after an anonymous note alleging jury misconduct surfaced, Judge Mark S. Borrell delayed his signing of the verdict by about three weeks to allow for an investigation of said note. No investigation documents were filed since the last hearing on June 17, and Judge Borrell signed the jury’s verdict on July 10, officially ordering Pini to pay.
Pini said that this stressful five-year process has left him frustrated, and accused Gutierrez, Ramiro, and their lawyer Brian Virag from MyBedBugLawyer, INC., of being “ambulance chasers.”
Wendy Lascher, Pini’s lawyer, said that she and her team are actively filing for a new trial based on claims of jury misconduct, excessive damages, and legal errors. The investigation into the note is still ongoing; the collection of properly documented jury testimony will be used as evidence to necessitate a new trial.
“Rather than not taking accountability, perhaps Mr. Pini would like to show himself as a conscientious landlord,” said Virag.
Pini said that after the two guests had checked out, Jhonny’s Pest Control was called to eradicate bed bugs in both rooms that they had stayed in, as well as rooms to either side as a precaution. Pini claims that “prior to them staying there, we have had no complaints [of bedbugs],” and that there have been none since.
In the more than one thousand customer reviews of the Shores Inn on Google, Trip Advisor, and Priceline, four reviews mentioned unverified claims of being bitten by or witnessing bed bugs: one in 2007, one in 2021, and two in 2022. The motel does not have any filings on BedBugReports.com, a website that accumulates reports of the bloodsuckers from across the country.
Pini said that his hotel doesn’t even come close to generating $2 million in revenue each year, and that having to pay could threaten the existence of the establishment entirely.
“I have never been in this position before,” said Pini when asked about the future of the Shores Inn. “The jury didn’t understand what this means for a hotel.”
