CHICAGO- A commercial pilot who trained for United Airlines (UA) in Denver (DEN) has filed a lawsuit against the operator of the Sheraton Denver Downtown after he says a swarm of bats invaded his room while he slept, biting his foot and leading to nearly $100,000 in rabies treatment.
His attorney says hotel staff removed some of the bats but missed at least one, never sealed the gap that let them in, and did not move him to a different room. A bat later recovered from the room tested negative for rabies, and the pilot’s insurance covered the medical bills.
Bats Swarm Pilot’s Room at Sheraton Denver Downtown
According to OMAAT, the incident took place on August 29, 2025, while the 46-year-old California pilot was staying at the hotel during airline training.
The lawsuit does not name his employer, but the details point to United Airlines, which runs its pilot training center in Denver and uses the property for trainees.
The room was on the 22nd floor of the Sheraton Denver Hotel Downtown at 1550 Court Place, the largest hotel in the city with more than 1,200 rooms.
The pilot, who asked not to be identified for fear of job repercussions, was asleep when he woke to a commotion at around 2:30 AM and saw bats flying around the room.
His attorney, Ed Lomena, described the moment: “Imagine you’re sleeping in a hotel room and you wake up, and you see bats flying around; that’s scary.”
The pilot notified the hotel, and maintenance staff removed the bats but missed at least one. He noticed a hole under the room’s air conditioning unit, “which appeared to provide access for the bats to enter the room,” and pushed a towel into the opening before falling back asleep.
The next morning, he found a bat hanging upside down from the curtain rod. He recorded a short video of it, and Denver Animal Control was called to remove the animal and take it for rabies testing.
Bat Tested Negative as Pilot Underwent Rabies Treatment
The pilot later found a bite on his foot and photographed it. Because rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, he underwent a full course of post-exposure treatment without waiting for test results.
His medical bills came to nearly $100,000, which his insurance paid, according to records cited by CBS Colorado.
The bat recovered from his room later tested negative for rabies, Lomena said. The result spared the pilot the disease but did not undo the fear he felt at the time.
“He was scared he was going to die and leave his family without a father,” Lomena said, describing a married father of one who believed his life was at risk.
The timing added to the alarm. The incident came about a month after Denver Animal Protection warned the public that two rabid bats had been found in the city in July 2025.
Lawsuit Targets Hotel Operator
The pilot first tried to settle with Marriott, the parent company of Sheraton. The suit claims the company offered only a small sum, suggesting such incidents happen and that no one was at fault. He then filed a formal lawsuit and is demanding a jury trial, seeking damages for medical expenses, injury, emotional distress, court costs, and attorney fees.
His attorney framed the hotel’s response as the core failure:
“We believe the evidence will show that this incident was preventable and that the hotel’s response fell well below what any guest should expect. No one should have to worry about being exposed to bats while sleeping in a hotel room.”
“We attempted for months to resolve this matter before filing suit. Despite providing medical records, photographs, and other supporting evidence, Marriott’s settlement offers did not reflect the seriousness of the incident or the harm suffered by my client. As a result, we had no choice but to file this lawsuit.”
W Hotel Management, named as the lead defendant, has denied wrongdoing or liability. The Sheraton and Marriott did not respond to CBS Colorado’s requests for comment. The lawsuit was first noted by the digital publication BusinessDen.
Lasting Impact
The encounter continues to affect the pilot’s work, since overnight hotel stays are a routine part of his job. Lomena said his client now inspects each room for gaps before he can relax.
“He’s always staying in hotels because of his job, so now anytime he goes to a hotel he’s constantly searching around the room,” the attorney said, adding that sleep has become difficult.
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