Reyna Cruz may have started as a shopper looking for a smoothie, but she ended up as a champion for premises liability rights. Her story reminds us that the legal system exists to protect the individual, even when the opponent is a billion-dollar warehouse.
Legal battles against large corporations are marathons, not sprints. Reyna’s willingness to appeal a summary judgment shows the importance of standing your ground.
Initially, the district court sided with Costco. They argued there was no proof of how long the smoothie had been on the floor, meaning Costco hadn't breached its duty to keep the premises safe. For many, this would have been the end of the road. But Reyna and her legal team didn't back down. A Victory for the "Ordinary Person" reyna cruz
In July 2021, Reyna Cruz was walking through a Costco food court when she slipped on a spilled smoothie. The fall was severe, resulting in injuries to her neck, back, knee, and wrist. What began as a routine shopping trip ended with back surgery and a life-altering recovery process.
Are you interested in learning more about the set by this case, or CRUZ v. COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION (2025) Reyna Cruz may have started as a shopper
When Reyna filed a negligence claim, the core of the dispute wasn’t whether she fell—surveillance footage confirmed that—but whether Costco had "constructive notice." In plain English: Had the spill been there long enough that the staff should have seen it and cleaned it up?. The Legal Hurdle: Summary Judgment
We’ve all been there: rushing through a warehouse club, checking off a grocery list, and finally stopping for a quick bite at the food court. It’s a routine part of modern life. But for Reyna Cruz, a simple trip to Costco turned into a multi-year legal battle that recently redefined how we think about "ordinary care" in public spaces. Reyna’s willingness to appeal a summary judgment shows
The story of Cruz v. Costco Wholesale Corporation is more than just a legal footnote—it’s a powerful reminder of why individual persistence matters when facing corporate giants. The Incident That Changed Everything