A lawsuit has been filed in a case that has gained national interest, against the Rainbow Ranch Lodge in Big Sky, Montana, and multiple plumbing contractors. The plaintiff, Catharine Hudgens, has taken this legal action following the death of her husband, Lewis Hudgens, from carbon monoxide poisoning.

The occurrence in January 2021 has cast a spotlight on safety standards and accountability within the hospitality sector.

The couple, who were newlyweds from Alabama, were enjoying their honeymoon at the Rainbow Ranch Lodge when the unfortunate incident occurred. On January 15, 59-year-old Lewis Hudgens was discovered dead in his hotel room due to carbon monoxide exposure. Catharine Hudgens was also found severely sick and disoriented in the same room. The couple had tied the knot in Florida on January 9, 2021, and had arrived in Montana for their honeymoon on January 11.

The lawsuit, lodged in Gallatin County District Court, accuses the hotel and the contractors who installed a propane-fueled boiler for an outdoor hot tub of wrongful death and negligence. According to the lawsuit, it was this boiler in a room next to their honeymoon suite, that was the source of the fatal carbon monoxide.

The legal filing details several key allegations, including the improper ventilation of the boiler room and inadequate monitoring of carbon monoxide levels. It also points out that holes drilled in the concrete wall between the boiler room and the couple’s room allowed deadly carbon monoxide levels to permeate their living area.

A notable aspect of the case is that Catharine Hudgens’ sister, worried about the couple’s health, requested a wellness check from the hotel staff. Despite her request, no one from the hotel checked the room until it was too late.

As the complaint states, “Had Rainbow Ranch staff checked on the Hudgens as requested, it is likely Lew would be alive and Catharine would not have been injured.”

Catharine Hudgens is now pursuing unspecified damages for her husband’s loss and her own trauma. The case has not only cast light on the specific circumstances of their tragedy but on larger issues concerning hotel safety and the significance of carbon monoxide detection and prevention.

The Rainbow Ranch Lodge and the implicated contractors have not yet publicly responded to the allegations put forth in the lawsuit. The trial, which started in Gallatin County District Court, is expected to delve into the details of the boiler’s installation and maintenance, as well as the hotel staff’s response to the emergency.

This lawsuit brings attention to the essential need for rigorous safety protocols and routine maintenance checks in hotels and similar establishments, particularly with gas-fueled appliances. It is also a stark reminder of the potential dangers of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless gas often referred to as the “silent killer.”