A lawsuit claims that unsafe conditions on a business property sidewalk led to serious injuries for a visitor, raising questions about premises safety responsibilities for local property owners. The complaint was filed by Sheri Eaton in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Pinellas County, Florida, on February 11, 2026, naming Joseph R. Cianfrone as trustee of the Joseph R. Cianfrone Living Trust as defendant.
According to court documents, Sheri Eaton alleges that on August 29, 2025, she visited a business located at Professional Plaza at 1964 Bay Shore Blvd in Dunedin as a guest and business invitee. The complaint states that while exiting the premises owned and managed by the defendant’s trust, Eaton tripped and fell on an uneven sidewalk. She claims this incident resulted in significant personal injuries.
The filing outlines several legal arguments supporting Eaton’s claim of negligence against the defendant. It asserts that Joseph R. Cianfrone, acting as trustee of his living trust and owner of the premises, owed Eaton “a nondelegable duty to exercise reasonable care for his safety.” The document further states that the defendant had duties “to maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition” and “to warn Plaintiff of dangerous condition on their premises.”
Eaton alleges these duties were breached through multiple omissions or commissions by the defendant. Specific allegations include “negligently failing to maintain or adequately maintain the sidewalk,” “negligently creating a trip hazard,” “negligently failing to inspect or adequately inspect the sidewalk,” and “negligently failing to correct and/or inspect and/or maintain and/ repair and/or adequately correct and/or replace” what is described as an unreasonably dangerous condition. The complaint also accuses the defendant of not warning her about these hazards despite allegedly knowing or having reason to know about them.
As detailed in paragraph ten of the filing, Eaton claims she suffered bodily injury resulting in pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, permanent scarring, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, medical expenses including hospitalization and nursing care, lost earnings or earning capacity, and aggravation of pre-existing conditions. The complaint notes that these losses are either permanent or continuing: “Plaintiff will suffer the losses in the future.”
The plaintiff is seeking damages exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), exclusive of costs, interest, and attorneys’ fees. Additionally, she requests judgment against Joseph R. Cianfrone as trustee for all compensatory damages allowed under Florida law and demands a jury trial for all triable issues.
The case was submitted by attorneys Joel Williams (Florida Bar Number 91708) and Chantel Batista Mullins (Florida Bar Number 1039867) from Morgan & Morgan Tampa P.A., with offices listed at 101 Riverfront Blvd., Suite 600 in Bradenton. The case is identified as number 26-000923-CI.
Source: 26000923CI_Sheri_Eaton_v_Joseph_R_Cianfrone_Complaint_Pinellas_County_Florida.pdf
