West Palm Beach, FL (June 10, 2010)–When 56-year-old Sheryl Workman was about to leave her car to shop for groceries a little after 7:30 a.m. on June 11, 2009, she did not expect to be mugged, brutally beaten, and stabbed while inside her car near the entrance of Albertson’s located at 4481 Lake Worth Road in Lake Worth, Florida. She also had no idea that surveillance cameras were not in operation, the company had reportedly eliminated all “loss control”, and there was no guard on duty either inside the store or outside patrolling the parking lot. She trusted — like all shoppers — that Albertson’s would perform its duty to provide reasonable care for her safety and protection.
Due to the significant negligence on behalf of Albertson’s, Ms. Workman sustained serious injuries, including losing her left eye, and suffering from disfigurement, great emotional and psychological injuries and more, Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, PLLC (www.lesserlawfirm.com) has filed a civil lawsuit for negligent security and demand for jury trial against ABNK Palm Beach, L.L.C.; Albertson’s LLC, and New Albertson’s, Inc. in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit In And For Palm Beach County.
“It is unconscionable that a respected, long-standing company such as Albertson’s did not uphold its duty to take measures to maintain a safe environment or use reasonable care for the safety and protection of Ms. Workman,” noted Gary Lesser, Managing Partner of Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, PLLC and lead counsel with law firm partner Mickey Smith. “As consumers and patrons, all of us expect that those who ‘invite us in’, should have our best interests in mind, especially when it comes to our personal safety and security. It’s not only good business, it’s the law.”
The lawsuit notes that Albertson’s breached the care it owed Ms. Workman as a customer by negligently failing to provide adequate security measures and personnel against foreseeable criminal attack on the premises in consideration of the history of crime on the premises and high level of dangerous and criminal activity in the area.
“This was not an isolated incident and could have easily been prevented,” noted Attorney Mickey Smith. “It came following a barrage of crimes. The numbers of prior violent crimes at and near that Albertson’s don’t lie.”
According to police records for the five years prior to the attack on Ms. Workman, 4481 Lake Worth Road experienced 27 violent crimes, 15 persons injured, 10 weapon possession arrests, 9 drug possession arrests, 13 thefts, 15 vehicle burglaries, 7 grand theft auto incidents, 7 disturbance/disorderly conduct incidents, 2 carrying concealed weapons incidents, 4 open container arrests, 6 mentally ill/suicidal situations, 9 arrests of people on warrants, 6 bicycles stolen as customers shopped, and 19 trespassings (warned or arrested).
In addition to failing to properly maintain and operate security cameras on the premises, the lawsuit alleges that Albertson’s negligently failed to have security personnel to routinely inspect and patrol the premises for possible dangerous, uninvited persons or dangerous conditions as to avoid risk of harm to invitees such as Ms. Workman, as well as negligently failed to train its agents, employees in security procedures and measures. As a direct result of all parties’ negligence and breaches of duty, Ms. Workman suffered serious, permanent injuries.
“This negligence should serve as a powerful call-to-duty for businesses, large and small,” added Lesser. “No one should ever have to suffer like Ms. Workman, especially when her attack could have been prevented by having simple, common sense security measures in place.”
