A slip-and-fall incident at a grocery store has led to a lawsuit that raises questions about premises liability and negligence. On January 2, 2025, Gloria Platero Villafranca filed a complaint in the District Court of Harris County, Texas against H-E-B, LP and its subsidiary Joe V’s Smart Shop. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants failed to maintain safe conditions at their store, resulting in serious injuries for the plaintiff.
According to the complaint, on January 4, 2023, Gloria Platero Villafranca was shopping at Joe V’s Smart Shop located at 7755 W Bellfort Blvd., Houston, Texas. As she navigated through the store's aisles and approached the cashier's area, she slipped on banana residue left on the floor. The complaint states there were no warning signs indicating the hazardous condition. Villafranca claims that H-E-B had control over the premises and failed to ensure it was safe for customers. "Defendants owed Plaintiff the duty to inspect and maintain the premises in a reasonably safe manner," reads part of her petition.
Villafranca argues that as a business invitee—someone invited onto the property for commercial purposes—the defendants had an obligation to keep her safe from foreseeable risks. She accuses H-E-B of failing to fulfill this duty by not inspecting or maintaining the premises adequately and not warning her about potential dangers like slippery floors. The complaint further alleges that employees or agents of H-E-B should have been aware of the banana residue hazard but did nothing to rectify it or alert customers.
The lawsuit outlines several areas where Villafranca seeks relief: physical pain endured both past and future, mental anguish, medical expenses incurred and anticipated, physical impairment and disfigurement suffered now and potentially later, lost wages due to inability to work following her injuries as well as loss of earning capacity going forward. In totality with these damages combined under Texas Rule 47 guidelines specifying monetary relief sought exceeds $250k but does not surpass $1 million dollars overall including all elements being pursued within this case.
Representing Gloria Platero Villafranca are attorneys Corey Gomel and John Major Spalding from Gomel & Associates P.C., based out of Houston Texas who submitted documentation electronically via designated service email address provided within filing details enclosed therein alongside automated certificate generated confirming compliance upon submission thereof onto efiling system platform utilized herein respectively.