Property and business owners have a responsibility to make sure that their properties are reasonably free from known hazards. This includes providing adequate security to prevent people lawfully entering the property from becoming crime victims. When property owners make decisions that prioritize making money over keeping the public safe, they should be held accountable for their actions. If an owner fails to take adequate security measures and it results in injury or even death, the owner may be held responsible in a premises liability claim.
What is Negligent Security?
Negligent security cases typically involve an individual who has been injured as the result of a criminal assault or robbery on someone else’s property. Negligent security is a failure by a property owner to protect people on the property from violence. If the property is located in an area that is known for criminal activity or presents an appealing crime target, the property owner must take reasonable steps to prevent crime from occurring on the property. People have the right to feel secure in public places such as sports stadiums, nightclubs, public transportation, apartment buildings, hotels, and shopping malls.
The key to a negligent security case is foreseeability of the criminal activity. The property owner must be aware that a crime could have occurred on their property and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent criminal activity. Data such as crime statistics for a certain area can be used to prove that the property was prone to criminal activity and that the property owner should have taken precautions.
Examples of Negligent Security
Examples of negligent security include:
- Lack of security personnel
- Inadequate or untrained security personnel
- Inadequate lighting
- Lack of surveillance and security cameras
- Lack of locks, fences, and other barriers
- Faulty gates or doors
- Lack of security alarms
- Lack of accessible emergency exits
- Lack of security procedures and protocols
- Failure to warn or notify of recent criminal activity
Contact an Experienced Attorney
If you have been injured due to criminal activity on someone else’s property, you should have an experienced personal injury attorney evaluate your case. At Bonina & Bonina, P.C., we have over 50 years of experience helping injured New Yorkers. Contact us online or call us at 1-888-MEDLAW1 to schedule your free consultation. Home and hospital visits are available. Se habla español.