Property owners and businesses may have a duty to take reasonable security measures when they know a dangerous crime is likely to occur. When they fail to address a known risk, customers, tenants, guests, and others may be seriously injured in preventable attacks.
A Montgomery negligent security lawyer can investigate whether a property owner knew about a likely danger and failed to take reasonable steps to protect visitors. Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers can help. Contact us today at (334) 518-6098 for a free consultation.
Why Choose Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers for a Negligent Security Case in Montgomery, AL?
Negligent security cases require a close look at what the property owner knew before the attack. Prior crimes, security reports, warnings, surveillance footage, and other evidence can help show whether the danger should have been addressed.
Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers has decades of experience handling personal injury claims in Alabama.
Clients who choose our Montgomery personal injury lawyers benefit from:
- Over 100 years of combined experience
- More than $400 million recovered for clients
- A practice focused on personal injury law
- Experience handling serious injury claims involving negligence
Our firm can investigate the property, gather evidence about previous criminal activity, and determine whether the facts support a negligent security claim. Contact us today for a free consultation with a Montgomery negligent security attorney.
What Is Negligent Security?
Negligent security is a type of premises liability claim. It may arise when someone is attacked or injured by a third party on property where the owner failed to take reasonable security measures despite knowing that criminal conduct was likely.
Alabama does not automatically make a property owner responsible whenever a crime occurs on the property. Courts focus heavily on whether the particular criminal conduct was foreseeable and whether the owner knew or had reason to know that the danger was probable.
Security measures that may be relevant to a claim include:
- Working locks and gates
- Adequate lighting
- Security cameras
- Security guards
- Controlled building access
- Responses to known threats or prior crimes
- Policies for reporting and addressing dangerous activity
What was reasonable depends on the property, the known risks, and the circumstances before the incident.
Where Do Negligent Security Incidents Happen?
Negligent security claims can arise at many types of commercial and residential properties. The key issue is usually not the type of property, but whether the person or business responsible for it knew of a serious security risk and failed to respond reasonably.
These incidents may occur at locations such as:
- Apartment complexes
- Hotels and motels
- Shopping centers
- Bars and nightclubs
- Restaurants
- Parking garages and parking lots
- Gas stations
- Retail stores
- Office buildings
A history of similar crimes at or near the property may become important evidence. Other warnings can also matter, including threats, reports from tenants or customers, and dangerous events that occurred shortly before the attack.
Who Can Be Responsible for Negligent Security?
The liability for security depends on who owned, controlled, or managed the property. In some cases, more than one business or person may have had security duties.
Potentially responsible parties may include:
- Property owners
- Landlords
- Property management companies
- Businesses operating on the property
- Companies hired to provide security
A security company is not automatically liable because an attack happened while guards were present. The investigation must determine what duties each party had and whether a failure to carry out those duties contributed to the injury.
What Kinds of Compensation Are Available After a Negligent Security Injury?
Violent attacks can cause physical injuries, emotional harm, and major financial losses. A negligent security claim seeks compensation from a property owner or another responsible party for losses caused by the failure to provide reasonable security.
Depending on the facts, compensation may include:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical care
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Permanent impairment
- Disfigurement
The amount available depends on the injuries, the strength of the evidence, and how the incident has affected the injured person.
How Long Do I Have to File a Negligent Security Lawsuit in Alabama?
Alabama generally gives an injured person two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. Waiting can also create practical problems even before the statute of limitations expires. Video can be deleted, physical conditions can change, and witnesses may become difficult to locate.
Alabama also follows a strict contributory negligence rule. If a defendant proves that the injured person was negligent and that negligence contributed to the injury, recovery may be barred.
Contact a Montgomery Negligent Security Lawyer
A violent crime on another person’s property does not automatically create a negligent security claim. However, a property owner may face liability when the danger was foreseeable, the owner knew criminal conduct was probable, and reasonable precautions were not taken.
A Montgomery negligent security attorney at Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers can investigate prior incidents, security practices, property records, and other evidence related to an attack. Contact us to discuss what happened and whether you may have a claim for compensation under Alabama law.