Publix Loses $4 Million in Slip and Fall Lawsuit

A Lake County plaintiff was recently awarded over $4 million after she slipped and fell in a Publix supermarket nearly four years ago. Court records show that the plaintiff visited the Publix Supermarket in Leesburg back in August 2020. While she was shopping, the plaintiff slipped on water that had accumulated on the floor of the produce department which caused her to suffer major injuries, according to her lawsuit.

Injuries 

According to her lawsuit, the plaintiff suffered serious injuries as a result of the slip and fall. She suffered from herniated discs in her neck and back, sustained serious bruising and hematomas on her right arm, and after several years of physical therapy, she was required to undergo a cervical fusion.

According to the lawsuit, Publix admitted that they were responsible for the woman’s injuries, but disputed the extent to which she was injured. This is a common tactic in a personal injury lawsuit. It leaves the jury to decide only the question of damages. The defendant hopes that they can reduce their damages by arguing that the woman’s injuries were not as severe as she claimed or were the result of pre-existing conditions. In this case, the strategy backfired. $4 million for a slip and fall lawsuit is quite a large verdict.

Elements of negligence in a slip and fall lawsuit

 To prove a defendant is liable in a slip and fall accident, you have to establish that they either knew about the dangerous condition or should have known about the dangerous condition had they exercised ordinary care. Every proprietor has a duty of care to ensure that their premises are safe for the public. Proprietors like Publix owe the highest duty of care in these types of lawsuits.

In this case, the plaintiff must have been able to establish that one of Publix’s employees knew about the dangerous condition or had left it unremedied for an extended period of time.

Key to any claim of negligence in a premises liability lawsuit is the element of foreseeability. To prove negligence, you must be able to establish that the injury was predictable or foreseeable. Leaving the floor wet in the produce section of a grocery store is a textbook example of negligence under a theory of premises liability.

Personal injury attorneys will subpoena security footage to show that an employee had knowledge of the dangerous condition, passed by the dangerous condition, and left the dangerous condition unremedied. In this case, that evidence was enough to force Publix into admitting that they were negligent for the plaintiff’s injuries and forcing them to take the case to trial on the issue of damages only.

Talk to a Tampa, FL Personal Injury Lawyer Today 

Florin Gray represents the interests of Florida residents who have been injured in slip, trip, or fall accidents on another person’s property. You are entitled to recover damages related to your medical expenses, lost wages, and reduced quality of life. Call our Tampa personal injury lawyers today to schedule a consultation, and we can begin preparing your case immediately.

Source:

clickorlando.com/news/local/2024/07/03/florida-woman-wins-over-4m-in-lawsuit-against-publix-after-slipping-at-store/