Defense Verdict: Miami-Dade County, Florida (Premises Liability)

Miami Partner, Jaime Baca, and Associates, Natalia Pinzon Martinez and Francisco Varona, recently obtained a defense verdict on behalf of Publix Super Markets in a premises liability case in Miami-Dade County.

This case arose from a slip and fall that Plaintiff claimed was caused by a large water spill near the front cash registers. Plaintiff claimed her fall aggravated an existing injury, for which she had already undergone a lumbar surgery at L4-5, and presented over $420,000 in medical bills at trial. Medical records showed that Plaintiff had not treated for more than a year before our subject incident, and MRI studies showed no change in her condition from before and after the fall.

This was a difficult and contentious trial with multiple rulings that made it difficult for us to present our defense. Despite this, the jury took just 30 minutes of deliberation to reject Plaintiff’s suggested award of nearly $3 million and return a complete defense verdict in Publix’s favor.

Congratulations Jaime, Natalia, Frankie, and the entire team that worked on this case. The client is thrilled with the result.