Whether you are a tenant in a large apartment complex or a customer in a commercial building, the landlord or business owner has the legal responsibility to maintain a safe environment and take reasonable measures to ensure your welfare.

If you are the victim of a crime in an apartment building or on the premises of a business, the owner could be liable for failing to provide adequate security. Learn what constitutes negligent security and how to prove premises liability in a negligent security case with the attorneys at Fieger Law.

What is Negligent Security?

Property and business owners in Michigan owe different duties of care to visitors depending on those visitors’ classification. From those owed the most protection to those owed the least, these are: invitees, licensees, and trespassers.

Tenants in an apartment building and customers in a business belong to the same category: they are invitees to the premises, meaning property owners owe them the highest duty of care. Property owners must keep the premises safe, which includes providing routine maintenance, fixing hazardous conditions, and warning visitors of possible dangers, such as wet floors.

Negligent security is a specific form of breach of duty. This occurs when a property or business owner fails to provide adequate security or take reasonable security measures to ensure the safety of their visitors from crime.

If you were harmed as a result of negligent security, speak with a premises liability lawyer from Fieger Law. We can analyze your case to determine what standard of care you were owed and whether the landlord or business owner failed in their duty.

What Responsibilities Do Property Owners and Managers Owe Visitors?

In Michigan, landlords and property managers must take specific measures to provide adequate security under premises liability law, especially if they own property or run a business in a high crime area. A few examples of actions they must take to keep tenants or customers safe include:

  • Repair or replace missing or broken locks on windows and doors
  • Ensure surveillance cameras are monitored and functioning correctly
  • Maintain sufficient lighting in stairwells, parking lots, garages, and common areas
  • Deal with or remove persons that engage in dangerous behavior like dealing drugs or fighting
  • Hire adequately trained and certified security personnel

Speak with a negligent security attorney from Fieger Law if you believe your landlord or a business owner acted negligently in their duty to keep you safe while on their property. We can review all elements of your case to determine their liability for your injuries.

What Evidence Do I Need to Prove Negligent Security?

If you believe your landlord or a local business owner has failed in their duty of care towards you, speak with a premises liability lawyer at Fieger Law. We can help you gather evidence to build your case and prove negligent security.

To prove negligent security in a premises liability case, you must show four elements:

  • That the defendant (your landlord or the business owner) was the owner or manager of the property where the crime occurred
  • The landlord was negligent in their duty of care to maintain safe premises
  • That you suffered demonstrable injuries or damages
  • That your injuries or damages happened due to their negligence or carelessness

General examples of evidence that your attorney can use to prove negligent security include:

  • Failing to adjust or update the building’s security systems, even after past crimes or incidents
  • Lack of security cameras or non-functioning camera equipment
  • No security guards or alarm systems
  • Absence of security locks on doors and gates
  • Poor or broken lighting in areas where proper lighting is expected, such as corridors, alleyways, stairways, or parking lots
  • Broken fencing or gates

What Steps Should I Take if I Have Been Victimized?

You can seek compensation if you have suffered injury or property damage due to a negligent landlord’s actions. To maximize the chances of a successful claim, consider the following steps:

  • Seek medical attention. If you suffered bodily injury, seek medical attention. Obtaining care helps you treat your injuries and provides a record of what happened, when it occurred, and the cause of the damages.
  • Call the police. When an assault, robbery, or other negligent security issue occurs, call the police and report the incident. They will take down your statement and make a report detailing the facts of the case. You can use this document to file your claim with the help of your attorney from Fieger Law.
  • Keep all relevant documents or communications. Save all relevant documents and communications for your case. For example, keep your medical statements, counseling bills, or costs for replacing stolen or damaged items. Also, keep any texts or emails from the landlord in which you discussed your security concerns before the incident occurred.

Contact Fieger Law as soon as possible after the incident. We can guide you through the steps after the incident and help you pursue a claim for compensation through your landlord’s property insurance.

Contact Fieger Law’s Experienced Premises Liability Attorneys

Fieger Law’s team has decades of experience helping victims seek compensation from the landlord or business owner in negligent security cases. If a criminal injured you or caused you property loss in an apartment complex or on property owned by a business, including in their parking lot, our Michigan premises liability attorneys can help you pursue compensation.

We will fight to protect your rights, prove the owner’s liability, and get the compensation you need to regain your life and safety.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. We help clients in Michigan and across the U.S. get the money they deserve.