ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A routine swim at the Residence Inn Downtown Ann Arbor swiftly turned into a medical crisis for Alexis Williams, who is now pursuing legal action against the hotel for alleged negligence linked to a serious antibiotic-resistant infection.
Williams, a resident of Genesee County, went swimming with her two younger cousins last month. She noted that the pool appeared clean and well-maintained at first. “It just looked like a regular pool. It didn’t look like it was contaminated or anything wrong with it,” she explained.
However, just 30 minutes after exiting the pool, her cousins began to feel ill, experiencing vomiting and fever. Within a day, Williams herself was struck by excruciating pain in her right leg. “It got to the point where you had to practically carry me because I couldn’t walk,” she said.
Upon seeking medical attention, Williams was diagnosed with MRSA, an aggressive bacterial infection that is resistant to many antibiotics and is often referred to as flesh-eating disease. “I didn’t know what MRSA was. I didn’t know it was a bacterial flesh-eating disease that possibly could kill you or, you know, amputate you,” she remarked.
The lawsuit, filed by Ven Johnson Law, claims that the hotel failed to adequately disinfect the pool prior to her visit. According to documentation, chlorine levels in the pool were recorded at zero on multiple occasions in the days leading up to the incident. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) also reported unsafe pH levels and harmful bacterial counts in the water.
Attorney Michael Freifeld pointed out that the records show a clear lack of chlorine in the pool during critical days leading up to Williams’s swim. “Several of the days before Alexis came in contact with this pool, they clearly indicate that the chlorine level for the pool on those days was zero,” he stated.
The former athlete has since undergone several surgeries and now relies heavily on her mother for daily tasks. Reflecting on her ordeal, she expressed, “I don’t wish that on anybody else.”
The legal complaint contends that the hotel was aware of the pool’s hazardous conditions but neither closed it nor informed guests, thereby violating public health regulations. First Martin Corporation, the entity that owns the Residence Inn, has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded.
A spokesperson for EGLE mentioned that since the department is not privy to the specific complaint, it is unable to offer an informed response at this time.
This incident has raised serious questions about the safety protocols in place at hotel swimming facilities, as well as the responsibilities of hotel operators in ensuring guest safety.
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