A slip-and-fall incident at a supermarket has led to a legal battle that could set a precedent for premises liability cases. On June 13, 2024, Lia Jean-Charles filed a complaint in the Circuit Court of the 15th Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, Florida, against Presidente Supermarket No. 53, LLC.

According to the complaint, on December 13, 2023, Jean-Charles was shopping at Presidente Supermarket located at 4360 Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach when she slipped and fell on water or liquid left on the floor in the meat section. The plaintiff asserts that she was a lawful invitee to the supermarket and that the defendant had a duty to maintain its floors and aisles in a reasonably safe condition.

Jean-Charles alleges that Presidente Supermarket negligently failed to properly maintain and inspect its floors and aisles, resulting in hazardous conditions. “The negligent conditions created by the Defendant remained on the floor for a sufficient length of time causing a slipping hazard,” reads one part of the complaint. She further claims that these conditions were either known to or should have been known by the supermarket management but were not addressed promptly.