Any place where people congregate, crime is a potential concern. Landlords who own apartment buildings and business leaders generally need to plan for the possibility of certain types of crime. Obviously, business owners and managers cannot prevent people from breaking the law. However, they can take steps to deter certain types of criminal activity and protect the people patronizing their businesses or living in their apartments.
In some scenarios, it may be possible to pursue a premises liability lawsuit against a company or a property owner because of a crime that occurred. When do businesses or property owners potentially bear responsibility for criminal activity?
Did negligence lead to security issues?
Most premises liability lawsuits rely on claims of negligence. That is as true in cases involving preventable crimes as it is in cases where a person slips and falls due to improper facility maintenance.
To determine whether or not property owners or business leaders were negligent, there is a simple test to apply. If a reasonable adult could identify the overlooked security hazard and possibly a simple way to address that concern, then the business or property owner may have been negligent.
Failing to install lights in a parking lot, for example, might increase the risk of assaults and vehicle break-ins in a parking lot. Although businesses are not responsible for the actions of others, they do have an obligation to address obvious safety hazards, including likely criminal activity.
Those hoping to pursue a premises liability lawsuit due to negligent security generally need support as they evaluate the situation, and that’s okay. Reviewing the details of a crime with an attorney can help people understand their options for pursuing compensation.
Subscribe To This Blog’s Feed