If you or a loved one has been harmed because of negligent security, Fieger Law’s Michigan negligent security lawyers are here to help you seek justice and compensation for your injuries.
Contact us today for a free consultation.
What Is Negligent Security?
Negligent security suggests a property owner failed to take reasonable steps to protect visitors or residents from foreseeable dangers. In Michigan, property owners have a legal duty to make sure their property is safe and secure.
If there are any areas that are especially vulnerable to crime, attention to securing that area is crucial. When this duty is breached, and someone is harmed as a result, the property owner may be held liable for negligent security.
Security negligence and resulting claims can happen in many different locations. They include:
- Apartment complexes
- Shopping malls
- Grocery stores
- Parking lots or garages
- Hotels
- Bars or nightclubs
- Office buildings
- Concert venues
In all these spaces and others, property owners are expected to proactively protect people from potential harm.
Common Incidents Resulting from Negligent Security
Negligent security can lead to a wide range of dangerous and violent incidents. Some of the most common incidents caused by a lack of sufficient security include:
- Assaults
- Robberies
- Sexual assaults
- Shootings or stabbings
- Carjackings
The likelihood of these types of crimes happening increases when property owners fail to provide adequate security. The absence of these security measures makes anyone on the premises easy prey for criminals.
Examples of Negligent Security
Depending on the type of property and security needs, negligent security be considered one or all of the following:
- Lack of Security Personnel: Failing to hire or properly train security guards
- Inadequate Surveillance: Lack of monitoring or broken or missing security cameras
- Poor Maintenance of Locks or Gates: Broken locks or gates
- Failure to Provide Warning Signs: Not informing visitors of known potential hazards or risks
- Lack of Patrols: Failure to routinely patrol areas known for criminal activity
By not taking the above precautions, property owners increase the likelihood of people getting harmed on their premises.
How Negligent Security Is Proven in Michigan
In Michigan, certain legal elements must be established to prove a negligent security claim. Here are the key elements to help prove liability:
- Duty of Care: The property owner had a legal obligation to provide reasonable security measures.
- Breach of Duty: The property owner failed to meet this duty and neglected essential security steps.
- Causation: The breach of security directly resulted in the victim’s injury.
- Damages: The victim suffered physical, emotional, or financial harm as a result.
A critical part of proving a negligent security case is demonstrating that the danger was foreseeable. This means showing that the property owner knew, or should have known, that certain security measures were needed to keep people safe. Evidence such as police reports, witness testimony, and security footage can help establish the property owner was negligent and liable.
The Impact of Negligent Security on Victims
The consequences of negligent security can be physically, emotionally, and financially devastating. While dealing with the physical pain of an attack and the emotional aftermath, the medical bills, lost wages, and therapy costs don’t wait on their recovery.
There are cases where negligent security can result in permanent disability or death, leaving families forever changed and burdened by their losses — both financial and personal.
Compensation Available in Negligent Security Cases
If you’ve been injured because of negligent security, you have the right to seek compensation. Damages may include:
- Medical Expenses: Coverage for immediate and future medical bills.
- Lost Wages: Compensation for time missed from work and loss of future earnings.
- Pain and Suffering: Damages for the physical and emotional pain you’ve endured.
- Emotional Distress: Compensation for the mental anguish and psychological impact of the crime.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Damages for the loss of enjoyment in life you once had because of your inability to participate in daily activities or personal relationships.
It’s important to seek full compensation to ensure that your current and future needs are met, especially if your injuries require long-term medical care or therapy.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Negligent Security Case?
Multiple parties can be held accountable in a negligent security case. Potential defendants may include:
- Property owners
- Property management companies
- Security companies
- Event organizers
- Commercial business operators
Liability can often be shared by several parties if security measures failed at multiple levels. An example of shared responsibility may be a property owner and a contracted security firm. It they both know about inadequate security and fail to act, they may both be responsible if an attack occurs.
Why You Need a Michigan Negligent Security Lawyer
Negligent security cases can be complex. An experienced law firm will help you through the legal process and will collect the necessary evidence to prove negligence. From negotiating with insurance companies to representing your interests in court if a favorable settlement isn’t established, a lawyer will be there to protect your rights every step of the way.
At Fieger Law, our team has a successful track record of handling premises liability and negligent security claims. We understand the devastating toll these cases have on victims and their families. Our commitment to helping you feel supported while securing the compensation you deserve is unwavering.
Contact Our Michigan Negligent Security Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one has been injured due to negligent security, don’t delay getting the help you deserve. Contact Fieger Law today for a free consultation and learn how we can help you seek justice and recover compensation for all you’ve lost.
