A woman is seeking justice after a slip-and-fall incident at a hospital left her with severe injuries. Linda S. Chicoine filed a complaint against the Trustees of Mease Hospital, Inc. in the Circuit Court of the 61st Judicial Circuit in Pinellas County, Florida, on September 3, 2024.
According to the court documents, Chicoine was visiting the premises of Mease Hospital located at 601 Main Street, Dunedin, FL on August 15, 2023, when she slipped and fell due to an alleged hazardous condition on the floor. The plaintiff claims that the hospital failed to maintain a safe environment for its business invitees by allowing liquids or other substances to accumulate on the floor without proper warning signs or barricades. Chicoine asserts that this negligence led directly to her fall and subsequent injuries.
The complaint outlines several key points of negligence by Mease Hospital. It states that the hospital had a duty to provide a reasonably safe environment for its visitors but breached this duty by not maintaining the floor in a safe condition and failing to warn about potential dangers. Specifically, it accuses the hospital of "failing to place barricades, wet floor signs, or other marking devices" and "failing to remove said substance from the floor." The document further alleges that these hazardous conditions were known or should have been known by the hospital staff due to their frequency and duration.
As a result of this incident, Chicoine claims she has suffered "severe, grievous and permanent injuries," including physical and mental pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, loss of capacity for enjoyment of life, loss of earnings and impairment of earning capacity. She also mentions incurring significant medical expenses due to her injuries.
Chicoine is seeking damages exceeding $50,000 exclusive of interest and costs. She demands judgment for damages along with costs and interest from Mease Hospital. Additionally, she requests any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Linda S. Chicoine is Nicholas T. Smith from Rubenstein Law P.A., based in Miami, Florida. The case is being overseen by Judge Ken Burke under Case Number: 24-003935-CI.