Property owners, landlords, or business owners are responsible for ensuring their properties are safe and secure at all times. Therefore, it is their duty to be informed about possible threats or nearby crimes that have already occurred and could place their property and visitors at risk of danger. If they fail to take adequate safety measures that will potentially keep their visitors safe from these crimes and you become injured as a result, you may be eligible to file a negligent security claim and seek compensation for your losses. However, negligent security claims are often very difficult and complex to navigate, which is why you should strongly consider hiring a negligent security lawyer to build a case in your favor and seek justice for the harm you have endured.
Seven steps a negligent security lawyer will take to build a case in your favor
Here are seven steps that a negligent security lawyer may take to build a case in your favor:
- Meeting and speaking with you regarding your case: The first step that an attorney will take is meeting and speaking with you regarding your case. This is usually called a consultation, which is your opportunity to go over your case, ask any questions, and find out what course of action the attorney recommends. If you decide to hire the attorney, they will begin establishing a professional relationship with you, offering an environment where you can trust, communicate, and depend on them to handle your case.
- Creating a solid and successful plan: Next, your lawyer will want to work with you to create a solid and successful plan. This plan will consist of essential steps to help you obtain the justice and compensation you need to move forward with your life. The overall goal of this plan is to ensure that you and your lawyer are aware of what needs to be accomplished to get from the beginning of the process to the end of the process. Therefore, you may develop a timeline, determine the weaknesses and strengths of your claim, point out which evidence pieces need to be gathered and turned in, and elaborate on specific deadlines that cannot be missed.
- Investigating your incident and injuries: Your attorney will then take the time to become familiar with the incident and injuries that you experienced. They will do this by conducting an investigation and determining the sequence of events or what caused the crime to take place. The goal is to develop an understanding of what happened, why it happened, who is liable, and whether anything could have prevented the incident.
- Collecting and evaluating evidence: After your lawyer has become familiar with your incident and injuries, they will encourage you to collect and bring in certain evidence pieces for them to evaluate. This may be medical records, police reports, photos, videos, surveillance footage, doctor reports, prescriptions, pay stubs, news articles, property records, and more. If you have any difficulties obtaining certain forms of evidence, your lawyer can reach out to the appropriate places and request the information that you need. They may even need to subpoena certain pieces of evidence if they feel like they could help strengthen your case.
- Finding and hiring witnesses: If there were any eyewitnesses who saw the crime take place, your attorney will try to identify and find them. If they agree to provide a statement, they may be able to back up the facts and details of your argument. For example, if another customer was at the facility when you were assaulted, they may be able to explain what they saw happen, which could strengthen your case. In addition, your attorney may decide to hire expert witnesses, which are professionals who have some type of knowledge, training, or experience in a field related to your case. Your attorney may hire an expert witness with some type of security background to break down the facts of your case and explain complex terms and concepts that others may not easily understand, providing a more in-depth insight and understanding into your case and how negligent security played a role.
- Communicating with insurance companies and attorneys: Your lawyer will also handle all forms of communication with the property owner’s insurance company and attorney. This will not only ensure that you do not make any statements that could jeopardize your case, but it will also give your lawyer the opportunity to understand what the property owner’s end goal and motivation is. Once they are able to determine this, they will have a better idea of what direction they should take your case and what tactics they should use to help you reach a resolution that is in your favor.
- Calculating your damages and discussing expectations with you: It is also important for your attorney to take the time to calculate your damages and determine how much your case is worth. This usually involves looking at all your losses from the incident and determining how much compensation you need to cover both current and future losses that you may incur from the incident. Your attorney should also discuss expectations with you. By doing this, they will have a clear understanding of what type of justice, compensation, and resolution you are seeking.
Do you need a negligent security attorney in Philadelphia or New Jersey? If so, the experienced and skilled team at Kwartler Manus is ready and available to take on your case. We know and understand what is required to succeed in these types of cases. Therefore, if you choose to hire us, we will inform you of your rights, advocate for your best interests, and stand up and demand the maximum compensation you deserve. Please contact us today to schedule a free case review and learn what steps we will specifically take to build a strong and successful case in your favor.