When a person suffers an injury on private property due to the negligence of the property owner, the resulting lawsuit falls under the purview of premises liability law. When a person suffers injuries from criminal activity in an area that should have security measures in place, the victim may have several options for legal recovery. The party responsible for security at the location of the incident may face civil liability for the victim’s damages. The person who perpetrated the criminal act should face criminal prosecution from the state, but the lax security that allowed such an event would be a civil case.
If you’ve suffered harm due to negligent security practices, discuss the situation with an attorney from Clifford Law Offices in Chicago. We can help you understand your next legal options and whether your situation is the result of negligence.
Why Do I Need a Lawyer?
The attorneys at Clifford Law Offices in Chicago understand the complexities of premises liability lawsuits and how criminal cases can affect civil claims from victims. An experienced attorney can help the victim build a strong case against a negligent property owner, the negligent security company, or multiple defendants – as is the case in many situations.
Our attorneys have more than 30 years of experience handling civil claims in Chicago for a variety of legal matters, including negligent security claims. We will work to uncover all the available channels of compensation open to a victim after a negligent security-related injury.
Proving Fault for a Negligent Security Injury
The first step in securing compensation after a negligent security injury is determining the at-fault parties. When a victim suffers a robbery, assault, sexual assault, rape, or other criminal action, the offender will face criminal charges from the state. The victim can pursue civil damages for property damage, medical expenses, and pain and suffering through a civil claim against the offender, but the property owner may also absorb liability.
If the plaintiff can prove the property owner knew about a dangerous element or a foreseeably dangerous issue on the property or security failure but did nothing to address it, the property owner will likely owe the plaintiff compensation for his or her losses. Some examples of negligent security include:
- A security guard falling asleep on duty, allowing a dangerous individual to enter the property and commit a criminal act.
- The property owner fails to replace damaged security cameras.
- The property owner failed to take steps to prevent a certain criminal activity in the area when there was a recorded history of similar activities taking place in the area in the past.
- A property owner fails to replace damaged doors, windows, locks, or keycard access panels.
The issue of foreseeability is very important in negligent security cases. It is unreasonable to expect a property owner to account for all possible misfortunes and criminal actions that may befall residents or visitors on the property. However, if there is reason to believe a specific issue poses a risk or there is a known dangerous element in the area that may cause harm to lawful residents and visitors on the property, the property owner has a duty to address these concerns in a timely manner.
If you or a loved one suffered from a criminal act on private property and believe the property owner shares some of the responsibility for your damages, our attorneys can help determine your best options for legal recourse. Contact the Clifford Law Offices in Chicago today to schedule a free case evaluation. Once we know the details of your claim, we can help you understand how criminal charges may come into play and the types of compensation you might expect from a successful lawsuit.
