A recent court filing has brought to light a troubling incident involving a major grocery chain. The complaint, filed by Micaela Murillo in the District Court of Harris County on July 31, 2024, accuses H.E. Butt Grocery Company, L.P., doing business as Joe V’s Smart Shop, of negligence leading to serious bodily injury.
According to the lawsuit, Murillo was shopping at the Joe V’s Smart Shop located at 4107 N Fry Rd, Katy, TX on March 29, 2024. While walking through the store, she slipped on an unmarked liquid spill in the middle of an aisle and sustained severe injuries. The plaintiff asserts that there were no warnings about the hazardous condition and that she had no way of seeing the spill before her fall. Murillo's petition claims that this accident was entirely preventable and directly resulted from negligence on the part of Joe V’s Smart Shop and its employees.
Murillo's legal team outlines several specific accusations against the defendant. They allege that Joe V’s Smart Shop failed to maintain safe conditions within their store, neglected to warn customers about potential hazards, and did not take timely action to address dangerous situations such as spills. "Defendant owed a duty to Plaintiff to prevent a foreseeable risk of injury," states the complaint. Furthermore, it is claimed that Joe V’s Smart Shop did not properly train or supervise their staff regarding safety protocols for maintaining clean and safe walkways.
The lawsuit details multiple breaches of duty by Joe V’s Smart Shop including failing to keep floors safe for customers, not providing adequate warnings about hazardous conditions, allowing dangerous conditions to persist without remediation, and neglecting proper inspection routines. As a result of these alleged failures, Murillo experienced significant physical pain and suffering both immediately following her fall and continuing into the future.
Murillo is seeking monetary relief ranging from $250,000 to $1 million for medical expenses incurred due to her injuries as well as anticipated future medical costs. Additionally, she seeks compensation for physical pain and suffering endured both in the past and expected in the future. The claim also includes demands for lost earnings due to her inability to work following the incident and loss of earning capacity moving forward.
Represented by attorneys Jennie Padilla (Texas Bar No. 24121043) and Adrian Zuniga (Texas Bar No. 24121475) from The Z&P Law Group PLLC based in Katy, Texas, Murillo has requested a jury trial for this case (Case ID: 2024-48660). The presiding judge over this matter will be from Harris County's 269th District Court.