Negligent Security

Negligent security occurs when a property owner fails to provide adequate security measures and someone is injured as a result, typically through criminal acts like assault, robbery, or sexual assault. You can sue a property owner for negligent security if they knew or should have known about security risks such as prior crimes in the area, they failed to implement reasonable security measures, and their failure contributed to your injury. Common defendants include hotels, casinos, apartment complexes, parking garages, and retail stores.

Negligent security cases commonly arise at hotels and casinos (especially in Las Vegas), apartment complexes and parking garages, shopping malls and retail stores, bars and nightclubs, parking lots, hospitals and healthcare facilities, and schools and universities. These properties attract large numbers of people and may be targets for criminal activity. When owners fail to implement reasonable security measures despite knowing about crime risks in the area or on the property, they can be held liable for resulting injuries.

Negligent security victims can recover comprehensive damages including medical expenses (emergency care, surgery, ongoing treatment, therapy), lost wages and diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress and psychological trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression), scarring and disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and in cases of particularly egregious negligence, punitive damages. Because negligent security often involves violent crimes like assault or sexual assault, emotional and psychological damages can be substantial. Experienced attorneys work with mental health experts to fully document these impacts.

Required security measures depend on the property type, location, and foreseeable risks. Reasonable security may include adequate lighting in parking lots, walkways, and common areas, working locks on doors and windows, security cameras in high-risk areas, security guards or patrols particularly at hotels and casinos, proper key control and access restrictions, background checks on employees, and response protocols for security incidents. Properties with known crime problems have heightened duties to protect visitors.

A negligent security attorney proves your case by researching crime statistics showing the property owner knew of security risks, obtaining incident reports of prior crimes at the location, documenting security deficiencies like broken cameras, inadequate lighting, or missing security personnel, reviewing the property’s security policies and procedures, consulting with security experts who can testify about industry standards, and establishing how proper security would have prevented your assault or injury. Acting quickly preserves this critical evidence.