A serious negligence lawsuit has been filed against several prominent grocery store chains and an individual in Pinellas County, Florida. On February 7, 2025, Asha Bergner Basu Mule initiated legal proceedings in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit against Southeastern Grocers, Inc., Winn-Dixie Stores, LLC, Aldi Inc., Matthew Huffman, and RMC 22 & 34 LLC. The complaint alleges that these defendants failed to maintain a safe environment at their St. Petersburg location, leading to significant injuries for the plaintiff.

The incident at the heart of this case occurred on April 4, 2023, when Asha Bergner Basu Mule visited a grocery store located at 2139 34th St. North in St. Petersburg. According to the complaint, an object was left on the floor in a walkway area within the store—a hazard that was not visible or obvious to customers like Mule. As a result of this oversight by the defendants, Mule tripped over the object and sustained severe and permanent injuries. The lawsuit claims that all named defendants had either actual or constructive knowledge of this dangerous condition but neglected to address it.

Mule’s complaint accuses each defendant of negligence for failing to remedy the hazardous condition despite having a duty to maintain a safe premises for their guests. Specifically, Southeastern Grocers, Winn-Dixie Stores, Aldi Inc., Matthew Huffman (who operated the premises), and RMC 22 & 34 LLC are charged with not adequately maintaining floor safety standards or warning patrons about potential dangers. “Defendants were negligent in failing to eliminate the dangerous condition,” states one part of the document.