Bernita Sands has filed a lawsuit against Gateway at Ninth, LLC, alleging negligence in maintaining safe premises. The complaint was filed on January 31, 2025, in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Pinellas County, Florida. Sands claims that Gateway at Ninth failed to ensure the safety of its property, leading to her injury.
According to the court documents, Bernita Sands was injured on April 15, 2023, while visiting a commercial property owned by Gateway at Ninth located at 8950 Dr. MLK Jr. Street North in St. Petersburg, Florida. As a business invitee on the premises, Sands asserts that she tripped and fell due to a hazardous drainage pipe that was partially buried and obscured by vegetation adjacent to a pedestrian walkway. This condition allegedly posed an unreasonable risk of harm that Gateway at Ninth should have addressed.
The lawsuit outlines several accusations against Gateway at Ninth for breaching their duty of care. It is claimed that the company either created or allowed the dangerous condition to persist without warning visitors like Sands. The complaint highlights multiple failures: allowing the hazardous condition to exist for an extended period without corrective action, not maintaining safe conditions around pedestrian areas, failing to inspect and warn about potential dangers, and having actual or constructive knowledge of these risks.
Sands seeks damages exceeding $50,000 for her injuries which include pain and suffering, disability, mental anguish, loss of earnings and earning capacity, as well as substantial medical expenses both past and future. She alleges these injuries are permanent or ongoing in nature.
Representing Bernita Sands are attorneys Jessica F. Carroll and Louis N. Larsen from The Schiller Kessler Group PLC based in Davie, Florida. The case is being heard under Case Number 25-000488-CI with Ken Burke serving as Clerk of the Circuit Court for Pinellas County.