Protect-A-Bed(R) Sponsors Bed Bug Liability Seminar

CHICAGO, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Protect-A-Bed(R), the leading provider of bed bug proof mattress encasements for the hospitality industry, is sponsoring an educational panel discussion on bed bug management for attendees of the Hospitality Lawyer Conference on February 4, 2010.

The hour-long session, titled "Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite You in Court," will take place from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m., giving attendees a valuable opportunity to learn more about proactively managing bed bug infestations and their associated liabilities for hotels. The seminar will be moderated by Mitch Miller, of Miller Law Group. Panelists include entomologist Rick Cooper and attorney Christian Hardigree.

Cooper is Technical Director for Cooper Pest Solutions and Vice President of Bed Bug Central. During the past several years, Cooper has been recognized as one of the country's leading experts on the subject of bed bugs and bed bug management. He has been featured as an expert on bed bugs on NBC Dateline, the Discovery Channel, The Early Show (CBS), The Today Show (NBC), the Doctor Oz Show and as a repeat guest on National Public Radio.

Hardigree is a University of Nevada – Las Vegas law professor who is an expert on beg bug legal issues.  Hardigree has spoken to numerous groups on bed bug litigation, enlightening the hospitality industry on the legal pitfalls inherent in today's litigious society. Hardigree believes the proliferation of bed bugs has created an obstacle course for virtually every business owner which necessitates a "working-man's" understanding of the technicalities of the American legal system. Hardigree is also an attorney with Parnell & Associates in Las Vegas.

Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for the panel in advance by emailing them to: [email protected].

According to Petra Minoff-Michael, Vice President of Sales for Protect-A-Bed's Hospitality Division, bed bugs are anything but selective in their choice of a home and not surprisingly, they have made hotels their own home-away-from-home. "Bed bugs have undoubtedly escalated into a serious issue now affecting even the cleanest and most affluent hotel properties in every corner of the country," she said. "And with that comes an impact that can be devastating to a hotel's budget, not to mention its reputation."

According to Minoff-Michael, when a hotel property encounters bed bugs, business suffers almost immediately and damage to the infested hotel's reputation can take years to repair. Infestations have also resulted in the proliferation of lawsuits against hotel owners. "Most bed bug lawsuits result from a hotel's response to a claim," she says. "Counseling clients and defending legal claims require a counselor to understand all of the legal issues that potentially come with it."

The panel discussion is designed to address the complexities surrounding an infestation. "The panel will discuss the myths and realities of bed bug management and litigation, Minoff-Michael says. "We'll look at specific cases, court analysis and practical strategies. We want attendees to walk away from this session with the 'do's' and 'don'ts' for responding to guest complaints."

With the resurgence of bed bug infestations has come a heightened awareness among hotel owners and operators who understand the need to be proactive with the problem. In response, Protect-A-Bed has developed a full line of protection products for pillows and mattresses that enable hotel owners and operators to create a healthy, clean and comfortable sleep environment for their guests.

"In the fight against bed bugs, fully encasing your mattresses and box springs can help mitigate the damage of an infestation and help in early detection," Minoff-Michael said. "Protect-A-Bed is committed to teaching hotel owners and operators how to manage the issue before it spirals out of control. This includes training their employees on frequent inspections for early detection of bed bugs."

To register for the conference and this panel discussion, please visit www.hospitalitylawyer.com

"In the end, we hope attendees are equipped with the knowledge to put a pro-active plan in place to help mitigate potential implications related to a bed bug lawsuit," Minoff-Michael said. "We would like to give them the knowledge they need to defending legal claims when they are brought against a hotel property."

To learn more about Protect-A-Bed's mattress and pillow protection products, visit www.protectabed.com.

About Protect-A-Bed®

Protect-A-Bed offers consumers a complete line of protective bedding products to create a Healthy Sleep Zone. The unique technology featured in Protect-A-Bed's mattress and pillow protectors was developed in South Africa in 1980 before the company was officially established in the United States in 2000. Now selling in 27 countries, Protect-A-Bed is a worldwide leader in mattress protection innovation. The company developed the proprietary Miracle Membrane® and patented Bug Lock® and Secure Seal®, which help create a dry, bed bug free, anti-allergy sleep zone for people of all ages. Protect-A-Bed products are listed as a Class 1 Medical Device with the Food and Drug Administration and have received the Good Housekeeping Seal. For more information, visit www.protectabed.com.

SOURCE Protect-A-Bed