A settlement has been reached in the class action civil suit against Mohonk Mountain House that stemmed from a norovirus outbreak at the resort in January of 2014. The hotel was closed for a week while the virus was cleared from contaminated areas by BMS Cat, an outside company.
The suit was filed on Feb. 18, 2014 and now the $875,000 settlement has been preliminarily approved by The New York State Supreme Court of Ulster County in the case of Bellotti et. al. v. Smiley Brothers, Inc. The settlement is not final however until officially approved by the Court, a decision that is set to be made in a final hearing on March 14, 11 a.m. in the Ulster County Courthouse in Kingston.
Louis and Anna Marie Bellotti of New Jersey are the plaintiffs of the suit. However, those considered members of the class and are eligible to receive some of the potential settlement, according to a legal notice, include “All Persons Who Experienced Gastrointestinal Illness within 72 Hours after Visiting the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York between January 27 and February 28, 2014.”
According to The New Paltz Times, some known victims of the virus have already been contacted and asked to respond to claim their share of the settlement. Those who may be part of the above mentioned class but have not been notified can learn more at mmhsettlement.com or call 800-908-4746. Claim forms are available online and must be filed by May 2.
Common symptoms of norovirus include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. According to the legal notice, the defendant has denied any liability or damages that have been alleged by the plaintiffs.