Sarah J. Rodgers v. Publix Super Markets, Inc.
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
Date FiledNovember 20, 2020
Docket1D20-0579
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL
STATE OF FLORIDA
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No. 1D20-579
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SARAH J. RODGERS,
Appellant,
v.
PUBLIX SUPER MARKETS, INC.,
Appellee.
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On appeal from the Circuit Court for Escambia County.
Stephen A. Pitre, Judge.
November 20, 2020
PER CURIAM.
AFFIRMED. See Encarnacion v. Lifemark Hosps. of Fla., 211
So. 3d 275, 278 (Fla. 3d DCA 2017) (noting that plaintiff’s
testimony that substance on the floor was “oily,” “dirty” and “dark”
was insufficient to create a jury issue absent additional facts “from
which a jury [could] reasonably conclude that the substance was
on the floor long enough to have become discolored without
assuming other facts”); Publix Super Mkts., Inc. v. Schmidt, 509
So. 2d 977, 978 (Fla. 4th DCA 1987) (holding there was “no proof
that Publix or its employees were at fault, or that the substance
was on the floor for a sufficient length of time to put defendant on
notice” and reversing jury’s verdict that impermissibly relied on
“inferences on top of inferences” to explain customer’s fall);
Palavicini v. Wal-Mart Stores E., LP., 787 F. App’x 1007, 1012
(11th Cir. 2019) (finding testimony that liquid on the floor
appeared to be “yellow” and “dirty” was not enough to establish
constructive notice and noting lack of evidence of footprints, prior
track marks, drying of liquid, etc. that would tend to show liquid
had been on the floor for a sufficient amount of time).
MAKAR, OSTERHAUS, and M.K. THOMAS, JJ., concur.
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Not final until disposition of any timely and
authorized motion under Fla. R. App. P. 9.330 or
9.331.
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Adrian R. Bridges and Marcus J. Michles II of Michles & Booth,
P.A., Pensacola, for Appellant.
Diane G. DeWolf and Katherine E. Giddings of Akerman LLP,
Tallahassee, for Appellee.
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