Mathias v. Accor Economy Lodging, Inc.

Desiree and Burl Mathias (plaintiffs) were bitten by bedbugs during their stay at a Motel 6 (defendant); evidence showed the motel's own exterminator had discovered the infestation in 1998 and offered to spray every room for $500, which the motel declined, instead just moving complaining guests to different rooms and sometimes falsely telling them the bugs were merely ticks. The jury awarded $5,000 in compensatory damages and $186,000 in punitive damages, and Motel 6 appealed the punitive award as excessive.