Premises Liability and Negligent Security
Premises liability laws make property owners responsible for taking reasonable actions to protect the people who visit their property. This means not only taking measures to avoid an accident, but also doing their part to deter criminal activity on their property.
If a person is a victim of violent crime, such as robbery, assault, or rape, they can take civil action against the perpetrator. They may also be able to seek compensation from the property owner where the crime took place.
Premises liability lawyers Randy Akin and Greg Burton can help victims of premises liability involving negligent security in Longview, TX, and surrounding areas consider their legal right to financial compensation for damages.
Demonstrating Premises Liability
Demonstrating a case of premises liability involving negligent security is complex, which is why it is important for victims to work with an attorney who has knowledge in this area of the law. To prove that a property owner’s negligence contributed to a crime, we must be able to demonstrate a few key factors:
- Our client was a lawful visitor on the property when the crime took place
- The crime that took place was foreseeable
- The property owner failed to implement security features that could have prevented the crime
- The security features would not have placed an unreasonable burden on the property owner
To show that a property owner should have reasonably anticipated a crime, we may rely on several different types of evidence, including crime reports for the property, crime rates in the surrounding area, documentation showing increased crime activity in the area, or witnesses to any past criminal activity on the property or in surrounding areas.
Examples of Negligent Security
Another complex aspect of a premises liability case involving negligent security is proving that insufficient security measures were in place. There are no regulations that require private or commercial property owners to obtain specific security measures. Instead, it comes down to demonstrating that our clients could have been protected had reasonable security measures been in place, based on anticipated crime activity.
Common examples of negligent security in a premises liability cases in Longview include:
- Insufficient number of security staff
- Inadequately trained security
- Failure to properly screen security personnel
- Lack of gates or security fences
- Lack of security cameras or defective cameras
- Lack of security alarm system
- Insufficient lighting, particularly in hallways or parking lots
- Broken locks on doors or windows
Potential Damages in a Premises Liability Case
If we are able to demonstrate premises liability pertaining to negligent security, then our clients will be due financial compensation for damages stemming from the crime. Depending on the specifics of each case, recoverable damages may include:
- Medical expenses
- Anticipated cost of ongoing medical care or therapy
- Lost income
- Loss of wage-earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
Contact Us
If you have been the victim of a crime, you may be able to hold negligent property owners accountable for your losses. To discuss your case with our attorneys and find out more about your legal options, send our legal team a message or call us in Longview at (903) 297-8929 at your earliest convenience.
