Man Suing Hotel After Cockroach Crawls Into His Ear & Caused Hearing Loss

An Ohio man is taking legal action against a hotel, claiming that a cockroach crawled into his ear during his stay, causing him to lose his hearing.

Todd VanSickle of Glenmont, Ohio, was visiting Sands Ocean Club Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. On July 30th, 2021, as he was sleeping, VanSickle says a cockroach crawled into his ear, waking him up from his sleep. The insect caused him “extreme pain” that lasted for months. Sadly, the bug left him permanently scarred, damaging his hearing.

VanSickle accused Sands Ocean Club Homeowners Association and Ocean Annie’s Operations, Inc. of negligence in lawsuit documents. As the resort owners, he says they failed to properly inspect his room for cockroaches and did not thoroughly clean his room. In addition to his health issues, VanSickle claims he also lost wages due to medical appointments stemming from his hearing loss.

Cockroach issues within the hospitality field are serious issues. Nearly 15 percent of hotels, motels, and inns have reported a roach issue within their facilities. With many hotels now offering grab-and-go snacks, this is creating a new problem with German cockroaches finding their way into food storage areas where loose snacks are plentiful.