Zanquesha Jefferson, a tenant in Pinellas County, Florida, has filed a lawsuit against her landlord for negligence after suffering injuries from slipping on water leaks in her rental property. The complaint was filed by Jefferson in the County Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in and for Pinellas County, Florida, on February 17, 2025, against RS Rental III-A, LLC.
According to the complaint, Jefferson experienced two separate slip-and-fall incidents due to water leaks caused by a faulty water heater at her residence located at 1610 40th Street South, St. Petersburg. The first incident occurred on September 30, 2023, when she entered her darkened home and slipped on pooled water from a leaking water heater. Despite promptly notifying RS Rental III-A of the issue through their online work order system and text message, another incident happened shortly after. On October 5, 2023, Jefferson fell again due to another puddle caused by an improperly installed seal on the newly replaced water heater.
Jefferson's lawsuit claims that RS Rental III-A failed to uphold its duty as a landlord to maintain safe living conditions by neglecting routine inspections and repairs of the property's water heater. The complaint cites Florida law which mandates landlords to exercise reasonable care in repairing dangerous conditions upon notification by tenants. "Both of Plaintiff's slip and falls were due to the negligent acts and omissions of Defendant," states the complaint.
The plaintiff is seeking monetary damages exceeding $8,000 for bodily injury, pain and suffering, disability, mental anguish, loss of earnings, and medical expenses incurred as a result of these incidents. She demands a jury trial and seeks additional relief such as interest, costs, attorney’s fees from RS Rental III-A.
Representing Zanquesha Jefferson is attorney Geoffery L. Pfeiffer Jr., Esq., from Lopez Law Group based in Saint Petersburg. The case has been assigned Case Number: 25-001558-CO under Judge Ken Burke's jurisdiction.