A woman is seeking over $50,000 in damages after a slip-and-fall incident at a Boynton Beach mall. The complaint was filed by Yvette Spells in the Circuit Court of the 15th Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, Florida, on July 3, 2024, against Edens Limited Partnership, Oakwood Square (E&A), LLC, Dollar Tree Stores, Inc., and Leah Poteet.
According to the complaint, Yvette Spells alleges that on May 23, 2023, she slipped and fell due to a slippery oily substance that had accumulated in the parking lot near Dollar Tree store #5478 at Oakwood Square Mall. Spells contends that this hazardous condition was created and negligently allowed to persist by the defendants: Edens Limited Partnership (the owner/operator/manager of Oakwood Square Mall), Oakwood Square (E&A), LLC (another entity involved with managing the mall), Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. (the operator of the retail store where the incident occurred), and Leah Poteet (the store manager).
The lawsuit outlines several accusations against each defendant. For instance, Edens Limited Partnership is accused of failing to maintain its property safely and not remedying known dangerous conditions. The complaint states that "EDENS knew or reasonably should have known by the exercise of reasonable care that a slippery substance was on the ground," presenting a slipping hazard to patrons like Spells. Similarly, Oakwood Square (E&A), LLC faces allegations for not inspecting or maintaining the premises adequately and failing to correct or warn about the dangerous condition.
Dollar Tree Stores, Inc., is accused of similar negligence regarding its responsibility for maintaining safe conditions in its parking lot area. The complaint claims that Dollar Tree failed "to take reasonable precautions to clean up or remove" the hazardous substance. Additionally, Leah Poteet is individually accused of neglecting her duty as a store manager to ensure safety around her store's vicinity.
As a result of this incident, Spells asserts she has sustained severe and permanent bodily injuries causing pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of capacity for enjoyment of life, medical expenses, loss of earnings and earning capacity. She claims these damages are either permanent or continuing.
Spells seeks compensatory damages exceeding $50,000 from each defendant along with costs associated with legal proceedings. She demands a jury trial for all issues triable by jury.
Representing Yvette Spells are attorneys Jason G. Barnett from Barnett Barnett Wilson PLLC and Michael J. Wood from Guerrero Wood Law. The case ID is: 502024CA006255XXXAMB Div: AJ.