Navigation Local Resident Sues Property Owner Over Negligence Leading to Severe Injuries
A local resident is seeking justice after a fall in a Clearwater parking lot left her with severe injuries. Linda Hamilton filed a complaint against Douglas C. Smith in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in and for Pinellas County, Florida, on August 26, 2024.
The lawsuit stems from an incident that occurred on February 25, 2021, when Hamilton visited a medical clinic located at 2 N Belcher Rd., Clearwater. According to the complaint, Hamilton tripped over an unmarked speed bump in the newly paved parking lot owned and managed by Smith. The plaintiff asserts that Smith failed to maintain the premises safely and did not provide adequate warnings about the hazardous condition.
Hamilton’s legal team argues that Smith had a duty to ensure the safety of visitors to his property. The complaint states, “Defendant owed Plaintiff duties to maintain its premises in a reasonably safe condition and to warn Plaintiff of dangerous conditions.” It further alleges that Smith neglected these responsibilities by failing to mark or repair the speed bump, which led directly to Hamilton’s fall and subsequent injuries.
