Marcano v. Publix Super Markets, Inc. (Kissimmee Grocery Store Slip-and-Fall Verdict)
An Osceola County jury awarded Victoria Marcano $3,967,000 after a six-day trial, finding Publix Super Markets, Inc. 100% liable for a June 5, 2023 slip-and-fall in the beverage aisle of its store on North John Young Parkway in Kissimmee, Florida. Trial evidence showed Publix employees had documented and cleaned up liquid spills in that exact spot before, undercutting any argument that the hazard was unknown to the store. Marcano underwent three spinal surgeries -- one to her neck and two to her back -- following the fall; Publix has since moved for a new trial, arguing the court improperly allowed inflated medical-bill evidence.
Why it matters
A textbook illustration of how 'mode of operation' and prior-notice evidence -- documented past spills and cleanups at the identical location -- can take a routine slip-and-fall from a modest settlement into an eight-figure-adjacent verdict once a jury sees a pattern rather than an isolated accident. Grocery, retail, and other high-foot-traffic commercial property operators should treat prior-incident logs for recurring hazard locations as a real litigation liability, not just a maintenance record, and revisit spill-response protocols in aisles with a documented history.
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