When you visit any place, you have the right to be safe and secure at all times. This means that if you go to the grocery store, the library, the mall, or even a restaurant, the property owners are responsible for ensuring that you are safe and harm-free during your time at these locations. If the property owner provides too little or no security at all, you or other visitors could become a victim of a crime on the property, resulting in severe and devastating injuries and other losses.
Defining negligent security
Negligent security is a type of premises liability lawsuit. An individual may file a negligent security lawsuit if they have been violently injured by a third party on someone else’s property. This is because property owners have a duty to provide reasonable security measures to protect their visitors or customers from foreseeable harm. Therefore, in order to file a successful negligent security suit, the victim must be able to show that the property owner was aware of similar crimes taking place in the area and that the crime could have been potentially avoided or prevented if they had adequate security measures in place.
Examples of locations where negligent security can lead to crimes
When property owners fail to provide appropriate security measures, their visitors become at risk of being attacked by third parties while on or near the property. Here are several examples of locations where negligent security can lead to crimes:
- Apartment complexes
- Grocery stores
- Movie theaters
- Shopping malls
- Restaurants
- Schools or college campuses
- Airports
- Hospitals
- Doctor’s offices
- Nursing homes
- Parking lots/ garages
- Sport stadiums
- Concert venues
- Office buildings
- Amusement parks or carnivals
- Nightclubs
- Bars
- Convenience stores
- Gas stations
- Hotels
What types of crimes take place when negligent security occurs?
The following are a few of the most common crimes that take place when negligent security occurs:
- Shootings
- Stabbings
- Physical assaults
- Battery
- Theft or robbery
- Kidnapping
- Rape or sexual assault
- Homicide or wrongful death
- Carjacking
How do I know if negligent security played a role in my case?
If you are a victim of a crime that took place on a residential or commercial property, it is important to know that the property owner could potentially be liable. However, in order to hold them liable, you must be able to prove that negligent security played a role in your case. Below, we will go over a few types of negligent security that could have played a role in your case.
- Lack of lighting: When a property does not have adequate lighting inside or outside, it can invite third parties onto the property to commit a crime. Due to this, more assaults, robberies, and other types of crimes are more likely to occur on properties that are dark, dim, or shaded.
- Lack of security system: Property owners are required to install a security system to keep their guests and customers safe. If the security system is not maintained, updated, or in working condition, third parties may commit a crime knowing that there is no alarm or security system that will alert or notify law enforcement about their behaviors.
- Lack of security personnel: Security personnel, also known as security guards, are usually effective at ensuring that certain crimes do not take place on the property. However, if there are not enough security personnel on the property or if the security personnel do not know how to handle certain situations, this could be considered negligent security, which could lead to a crime taking place.
- Negligent hiring: Business owners are required to make sure that their employees do not have any criminal pasts that could put customers or visitors in danger. Therefore, if the business owner fails to conduct a background check on an employee and the employee harms a customer, this is considered negligent hiring, which could fall under negligent security.
A few other examples of negligent security are broken windows, broken door locks, blocked or cluttered emergency exits, broken security cameras, and broken fences.
How does negligent security impact your life?
If you are a victim of negligent security, it can impact your life in various ways. For example, you may have several physical injuries, which can range from minor to life-threatening. Attacks committed by third parties usually result in cuts and bruises, broken or fractured bones, traumatic brain injuries, internal organ damage, facial and dental injuries, and scarring and disfigurement. Due to this, you may need years of medical treatment along with physical and occupational therapy to help you make a full recovery and re-learn how to do certain tasks again. To make matters worse, some victims may be faced with the possibility of never being able to live an independent life, requiring around-the-clock assistance and care.
Being a victim of negligent security and experiencing an attack can also cause mental and emotional conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, emotional trauma, mental distress, anxiety, and depression. Several of these conditions can lead to isolation, lack of a social life, a diminished quality of life, loss of enjoyment of activities, inability to maintain relationships, and more. Therefore, it is common for negligent security victims to need to attend psychological or counseling appointments on a routine basis for the rest of their lives.
When a person has physical, mental, and emotional injuries, they are likely to have expensive medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and counseling and psychological fees. They may also be out of work, making it difficult for them to cover their bills and expenses and put food on the table for their families. This can cause financial instability, which can take many years or decades to recover from.
Have you or a loved one suffered an injury due to negligent security? If so, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a negligent security attorney from Kwartler Manus as soon as possible. We will look over the facts and details of your case, conduct our own investigation, help you collect convincing and supportive evidence, inform you of your rights and legal options, and advocate for the compensation you need and deserve to get your life back on track again. All you have to do is fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with our team in Philadelphia or Cherry Hill today.