Washington DC Negligent Security Lawyers

As we go about our daily activities, we trust the public spaces we frequent have reasonable measures in place to ensure our security. When property owners or operators neglect their responsibility to provide a reasonable level of protection, they may be held liable in a negligent security claim. The following is what you need to know about negligent security claims, who can bring them, and what compensation they offer.

Inadequate Security in Public Settings

Unfortunately, violent assaults and attacks in public spaces are becoming all too common, leaving victims with catastrophic injuries and life-changing emotional trauma. Tragic scenes are a regular staple of the daily news. These events have many of us wondering what is being done to protect the public. The law requires these types of businesses to provide adequate security to protect the general public. Some security measures a business owner might take to protect patrons include:

Ensuring the premises is always well-lit
Hiring additional security personnel
Making exits highly visible and easily accessible
Training employees on how to prevent or manage an emergency
Utilizing metal detectors, security cameras, and alarms

If there was something a property owner could have done to prevent a shooting, stabbing, or sexual assault, and they neglected to do so, they may be legally responsible for injuries occurring as a result of their negligence.

Inadequate Security and Premises Liability Claims

Premises liability refers to a property owner or operator’s responsibility for injuries occurring as a result of inadequate security or other hazardous conditions. In certain cases where the manager of a retail store notices a spill on the floor but neglects to clean it up, it could cause a customer to slip and fall and suffer a head, neck, or spine injury. When it comes to security, that could mean failing to sufficiently identify and illuminate exits in a public space. In the event of a fire or other emergency, anyone injured because they were unable to get out of the building might have cause to bring a claim against the property owner.

Proving Liability in Negligent Security Claims

While laws vary from state to state, most premises liability claims require the injured party to prove the following factors:

The defendant owned, operated, leased, or occupied the property where the injuries were sustained
The defendant was negligent in the use, maintenance, or securing of this property
The defendant’s negligent act or practice caused the plaintiff to be harmed

In these types of cases, the risk if injury must be reasonably foreseeable because failure to provide adequate security would likely put the public in danger.

Compensation for Injuries Caused by Negligent Security

Every case is different, but there is a sizable list of potential damages a plaintiff may seek after being injured due to inadequate security. They include but are not limited to:

Bodily harm
Disfigurement
Loss of income
Loss of enjoyment of life
Pain and suffering
Medical expenses
Mental anguish

Your decision to bring a premises liability claim against a negligent property owner, operator, or tenant is a powerful incentive for the defendant to take a more proactive approach to safety and security to protect the public going forward.