Premises Liability and Inadequate Building Security
Violent crime is a common problem across the country. Violent crime can cause injuries resulting in physical, emotional, and financial damages. Individuals often have a false sense of security in commercial buildings or large apartment complexes. However, violent crimes can take place anywhere.
If property owners do not take the necessary precautions to establish safe and secure premises, they may be held liable for losses related to injuries. The premises liability attorneys at Zucker & Regev, P.C., in Brooklyn, NY, work with injury victims to establish a claim of premises liability related to inadequate building security. Our attorneys demonstrate losses suffered and fight for maximum compensation for injury damages.
Understanding Premises Liability
Premises liability is an area of civil law that pertains to private and commercial property owners. The law holds property owners accountable for maintaining a degree of safety for individuals who have been implicity or expressly allowed on the property. Property owners who create hazardous conditions, fail to address known dangers, or fail to protect visitors to their premises can be found liable for injuries related to these conditions.
How Inadequate Security Can Lead to Injuries
Negligent or inadequate security falls under the realm of premises liability. Property owners are obligated to offer reasonable security measures to protect visitors and minimize the risk of foreseeable crimes. A lack of security can encourage criminal activity by creating an environment where visibility is low, help is not readily available, and the criminal is unlikely to get caught. Since violent crimes often involve physical attacks, inadequate security can contribute to injuries.
Examples of Inadequate Security
Inadequate security can take several different forms. Some of the most frequent examples of negligent security include:
- Lack of security cameras (or insufficient cameras to cover the property)
- Lack of an alarm system
- Malfunctioning security equipment
- Lack of security staff
- Doors or gates without locks
- Broken fencing or security gates
- Improper lighting in traffic areas or parking lots
- Inadequately trained or unqualified security staff
Proving Premises Liability Related to Inadequate Security
Foreseeability is a vital aspect of proving premises liability related to inadequate security. The plaintiff must demonstrate that property owners failed to provide adequate security measures to prevent foreseeable crimes. Past criminal activity in the area is the basis for foreseeability. For instance, properties in areas with high crime rates should have more security measures than those in areas with no past criminal activity.
Beyond proving foreseeability, our premises liability attorneys must establish the following for our Brooklyn clients:
- The defendant owned the property where the crime and injuries occurred
- The plaintiff was lawfully present on the defendant’s property
- The defendant breached their duty of care to provide adequate security
- Adequate security could have prevented the plaintiff’s injuries
- The plaintiff’s injuries caused losses
Contact Us
If you have been injured in a criminal attack that could have been prevented had adequate security measures been in place, you may have grounds to file a premises liability claim. To discuss your case with the premises liability attorneys at Zucker & Regev, P.C., send our law firm a message or call our Brooklyn office at (718) 624-1211.