BOYNTON BEACH, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — A New York woman has filed a lawsuit in Palm Beach County claiming she was injured during a paid tennis lesson at Avalon Estates of Boynton Beach after her foot allegedly caught in an uneven tennis court surface.
The complaint, Rosemary Sardelli v. Avalon Estates of Boynton Beach Homeowners Association, Inc., Mark Dooley, individually, and Perry Sinett, Inc., was filed May 6, 2026, in the Circuit Court of the 15th Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County. The case is listed as Case No. 502026CA005151XXXAMB.
Sardelli, who is identified in the complaint as a resident of Suffolk County, New York, is represented by Newman Injury Law, PLLC, of Hollywood. No defense counsel is listed in the complaint.
The lawsuit names Avalon Estates of Boynton Beach Homeowners Association, Inc., tennis instructor Mark Dooley, and Perry Sinett, Inc. as defendants. The complaint says Avalon Estates owned, operated, managed or controlled the tennis court facilities at 12206 Oakvista Drive in Boynton Beach, while Perry Sinett, Inc. was engaged in providing professional tennis instruction.
According to the complaint, Sardelli was on the tennis courts at Avalon Estates on or about May 30, 2025, participating in a paid lesson conducted by Dooley. The complaint alleges Dooley was acting within the course and scope of his employment or agency with Perry Sinett, Inc.
Sardelli claims the court surface contained uneven and unmaintained crushed stone clay, also known as Har-Tru. The complaint alleges that condition created a hazard for people using the court and that the court remained open with no warnings, signage, cones, barriers or other restrictions.
The complaint says Sardelli’s foot became caught in the uneven surface while she was participating in the lesson. She alleges the surface caused her to lose balance and fall.
Sardelli claims she sustained serious and permanent bodily injuries and has suffered pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, medical expenses and related damages. Those allegations have not been proven in court.
The lawsuit includes a premises liability claim against Avalon Estates. Sardelli alleges the HOA had a duty to maintain the tennis courts in a reasonably safe condition and to correct or warn of dangerous conditions it knew or should have known existed.
The complaint accuses Avalon Estates of failing to maintain, inspect, repair or remediate the court surface. It also claims the HOA failed to warn users or close the court until the alleged condition was corrected.
A separate negligence count is filed against Dooley individually. Sardelli claims that, as the instructor conducting a paid lesson, Dooley had a duty to inspect the playing surface, warn students of hazards, and modify, suspend or relocate instruction if conditions were unsafe.
The complaint alleges Dooley proceeded with the lesson and directed Sardelli to perform drills despite the condition of the court. Sardelli claims she relied on her instructor’s professional judgment that the court was safe for play.
The third count is filed against Perry Sinett, Inc. Sardelli claims the company is vicariously liable for Dooley’s alleged acts or omissions and also directly liable for allegedly failing to implement adequate safety protocols and train or supervise Dooley.
Sardelli is seeking damages in excess of $50,000, exclusive of interest and costs. She also demands a jury trial.
The original complaint, Rosemary Sardelli v. Avalon Estates of Boynton Beach Homeowners Association, Inc., Mark Dooley, individually, and Perry Sinett, Inc., Case No. 502026CA005151XXXAMB, as filed May 6, 2026, with the Palm Beach County Clerk of Court, can be viewed here.
Injuries caused by unsafe property conditions are often filed as premises liability lawsuits in Florida courts. Boca Post explains how premises liability cases work in Palm Beach County. Boca Post reports regularly on civil complaints filed in Palm Beach County courts. Readers can browse recent filings in our Boca Raton lawsuits coverage.
