Three more local residents have filed lawsuits against Publix, seeking damages for various incidents involving a falling shelf, a child’s injury, and a high-speed grocery cart assistance that resulted in an alleged faceplant.
The first lawsuit was filed on February 16, by Marion County resident Jessica Santiago following an incident at the Publix located at Pearl Britain Plaza (2655 NE 35th Street) in Ocala.
According to the complaint, Santiago was waiting in line in the deli department on February 5, when she was struck by a section of shelving that fell.
Santiago’s attorneys allege that the falling shelf caused their client significant bodily and permanent injuries, mental anguish, and a loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life. They argue that Publix failed to maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition and failed to warn customers of a known dangerous condition. She is seeking over $50,000 in damages.
A second lawsuit was filed on March 2, by attorneys representing Carlos Aldama on behalf of his minor child, identified as “X.A.” The complaint stems from an incident that allegedly occurred on May 26, 2025, at the Publix at the Belleview Regional Shopping Center located at 10301 SE US Highway 441.
Aldama alleges his child suffered bodily injury to extremities, resulting in permanent scarring, disfigurement, and the activation of a latent medical condition. Aldama’s legal team claims the grocery chain was negligent in its maintenance of the store, creating a foreseeable risk of harm to the child. The suit also seeks damages in excess of $50,000.
The third lawsuit involves a resident of The Villages, Eileen Donnelly, who filed her complaint on February 17. Donnelly claims she was injured at the Publix in Mulberry Grove on February 29, 2024, after a Publix employee offered to help her take her groceries to her vehicle.
According to the filing, as Donnelly navigated a ramp toward the parking lot, the employee allegedly began pulling the front of the cart forward without warning, causing it to accelerate.
Donnelly claims she was unable to keep up and was pulled forward, crashing “face first onto the pavement.” She alleges the fall resulted in a physical handicap that prevents her from living independently and she is seeking more than $80,000 in damages.
All three plaintiffs have requested trials by jury in Marion County to determine the final value of their claims.
The lawsuits filed this year represent a fraction of the open cases between Publix and local residents. Dating back to the beginning of 2025, Publix is currently fighting at least a dozen active lawsuits against Marion County residents.