Irvine Negligent Security Lawyer Fighting for Justice for Victims of Crime

When you are a guest or a visitor on a property, the property owner is responsible for keeping you reasonably safe from harm. If you suffer an injury on their property from a foreseeable incident they did not attempt to prevent, you may have grounds for a premises liability case. While many people think of slip-and-fall accidents or dog bites when they hear about a premises liability lawsuit, negligent security is another common failure on the part of property owners that can lead to devastating repercussions for victims.

If you’ve experienced assault, rape, robbery, harassment, or another type of personal attack in a place lacking adequate security measures to prevent the crime, Hejazi Law Group can help you get the compensation you deserve for your damages. We provide free consultations to victims to discuss their cases. Call (949) 749-7402 today to schedule your no-cost case evaluation.

What Is Negligent Security?

If a property owner does not take appropriate security measures for their property and this results in a person being injured or killed, the victim may file a negligent security claim with the civil court. The defendant in these cases is not the perpetrator of the crime — it is the property owner who failed to provide adequate security to protect visitors from the unlawful acts of a third party.

The amount of security considered adequate can vary based on the situation, but some of the reasonable steps a property owner could be expected to take to protect visitors may include:

• Installing security cameras and displaying notices that the area is being surveilled
• Hiring well-trained security guards
• Providing adequate lighting for parking lots and entrances
• Putting up fences, gates, or barriers
• Clearly marking emergency exits
• Installing alarms
• Upgrading any broken windows, gates, or locks

What Must Be Proven for a Successful California Negligent Security Claim?

For a negligent security claim to be successful in a California court, a victim must produce proof that they were legally on the property and experienced injuries at the hands of a third party while on the premises. These are generally fairly straightforward facts to establish. However, it is also necessary to show that the property owner should have known there were risks to visitors, and they failed to provide the proper amount of security to protect them from those dangers. For example, a venue in an area with higher crime rates should be aware that its customers face a greater risk of assault in their parking lot. The property owner may be liable if you can demonstrate that your injuries would not have occurred if they had provided security appropriate for the foreseeable risks.

What Compensation Can You Recover in a Negligent Security Case?

Even though the property owner did not directly cause your injuries, they may be required to pay compensation if they neglected to implement security measures that could have prevented the incident. Depending on the specifics of the case, property owners could be liable for damages, including:

• Economic damages: If you suffered financial losses due to your victimization, such as medical expenses, property repair or replacement, lost wages, or loss of future income, you could be eligible to recover these damages through your lawsuit.
• Non-economic damages: Violent crime can cause more than just monetary losses for victims. You can seek compensation for the pain and suffering, mental anguish, and any disfigurement or scarring the attack caused.
• Wrongful death: If your loved one died as a result of negligent security, a wrongful death lawsuit could be filed to recover funeral expenses, medical bills, and more.

Why Should I Hire a Lawyer for My Negligent Security Claim?

Everyone deserves to be kept reasonably safe when they go to a public place or business. While it’s not possible to prevent all crime, property owners need to be vigilant in providing suitable security measures for their visitors, especially if they know their property is in a high-risk area. If you or a loved one have been the victim of a crime on another person’s property, you know the immense harm inflicted upon you by the incident. While criminal proceedings can provide justice for the crime, a civil lawsuit can also hold liable the individual(s) whose negligence allowed the crime to occur.

Hejazi Law Group can help you recover the compensation you deserve for the damages you’ve suffered, so you can begin to move on from this difficult chapter in your life. We provide compassionate legal representation to victims and take pride in fighting for their rights. Call today for a free consultation regarding your negligent security claim: (949) 749-7402.