Alpharetta Negligent Security Lawyers
While some crime is unavoidable, others are victimized due to a property owner’s failure to secure the premises. In many cases, property owners can be liable for the injuries of a crime victim due to their failure to take necessary precautions. An experienced Alpharetta negligent security lawyer could help you recover the compensation you deserve for your injury.
When criminal activity is preventable, you should not have to pay for the price of your injuries. A well-versed injury attorney could help you determine whether you have a viable negligent security claim against the owner of the property where you were hurt.
Steps to Prevent Criminal Activity in Alpharetta
A property owner typically must provide a safe and secure environment for tenants, guests, or visitors. An Alpharetta negligent security attorney could seek compensation from a property owner if they can establish the owner knew or should have known about the risk of criminal activity and failed to take steps to prevent harm.
Some steps a property owner should take include:
- Installing locked gates;
- Installing video surveillance;
- Hiring guards to patrol the property;
- Posting notices that cash registers have less than $50;
- Fencing the outskirts of a property;
- Installing adequate lighting; and
- Hiring a doorman.
Proving a Negligent Security Case
Making the case for a negligent security claim in front of a jury is different than many other negligence cases. In addition to the standard elements of negligence, an attorney must also demonstrate that the criminal activity was foreseeable. The elements of a negligent security case include:
- Duty of care
- Breach of the duty of care;
- Foreseeability of the criminal conduct;
- Causation; and
- Foreseeability.
Duty of Care
Proving negligence starts with establishing the defendant owed a plaintiff a duty of reasonable care. In most cases, the owner of a public establishment owes their customers, renters, or visitors a duty to protect them from harm.
Breach of the duty of care
Next, a plaintiff must show the defendant breached their duty of care by failing to take the steps necessary to protect the plaintiff from a criminal act. A breach can involve the failure to take any of the preventative measures discussed previously.
Foreseeability
The crime must be reasonably foreseeable, meaning the property owner must have been able to anticipate the potential risk given the neighborhood and crime statistics in the area. For example, a mugging in an area known for violent crime could be foreseeable.
Causation and Damages
The final two elements are related to each other. A plaintiff must not only show that they sustained monetary damages, but that the defendant’s breach of their duty of care was directly responsible for those damages.
Contact an Alpharetta Negligent Security Lawyer
When an Alpharetta property owner does little to deter crime from taking place on their property, they could face liability for any damages that result. A skilled Alpharetta negligent security lawyer could review the facts following a crime to determine whether claim might be viable. To learn more, reach out for a free consultation to discuss your rights.
