Palm Beach CVS and Shopping Mall Liable for Woman’s Slip and Fall

A Palm Beach woman is thanking the Florida appellate court after it reversed the trial court’s denial of her slip and fall claim. According to court records, the woman worked at a Palm Beach CVS store, which was a shopping mall tenant. In the course of her employment, she noticed a pothole in the store’s parking lot. She told her bosses and co-workers to be careful of the slip and fall hazard as they went to and from work.

Despite the warnings she gave to others, she became a victim when she slipped and fell in the pothole and suffered painful injuries. After incurring expensive medical bills and missing time from work, she filed suit against CVS and the shopping mall. The trial court ruled neither defendant owed her a duty of care because the pothole was an obvious hazard and was out in the open. The court dismissed her case.

Fortunately, the appellate court saw the matter differently. The court said the pothole was there because the shopping mall failed to maintain its parking lot. The CVS in Palm Beach did not escape the slip and fall ruling, either. The court said CVS invited the woman onto the property as its employee and was just as liable as the shopping mall for her injuries.

Unfortunately, retail chains and shopping centers sometimes fail to keep their premises safe for shoppers and employees. The Florida personal injury attorneys at Dell & Schaefer represent slip and fall victims, and we can help you. Call us at (800) 383-7853.