Hinshaw Legal Team Secures Summary Judgment in Gas Station Injury Case

Jesse Nardy and John Weedon recently won summary judgment in a premises liability case involving a third-party assault at a gas station owned by their client.

The plaintiff alleged negligence in security measures and had sought damages after being attacked by a third party while on the property for a non-business purpose. During deposition, plaintiff admitted to being on the premises to speak with an individual who was loitering outside the gas station. The defense successfully argued that the plaintiff was an uninvited licensee under Florida law and, therefore, not entitled to a warning about open and obvious dangers, including third-party criminal acts.

For a business operating on tight margins, the financial exposure and reputational risk posed by this lawsuit threatened its very survival. Our successful defense not only resolved this case but also reinforced the importance of proactive risk management and strong legal advocacy in complex premises liability cases.

The case is Emildo Mesidor v. Urbieta Westar Holdings.