Were you injured because a property owner in Los Angeles, CA, failed to install adequate security on the premises? You may be entitled to money to cover medical bills, lost wages, and more. An experienced Los Angeles negligent security lawyer at M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight for the compensation you deserve.
Since we were founded in 2013, we’ve recovered over $400 million in compensation for our injured clients. We have the tools you need to maximize your financial recovery.
It’s never too early to start exploring your legal options. Call our law firm in Los Angeles, California, at (877) 300-4535 or contact us today to schedule your free consultation today.
How M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With a Negligent Security Claim in Los Angeles
Victims of criminal attacks don’t always know that someone other than the attacker may be liable for damages. Business owners today have the resources to prevent many crimes. They can be held financially liable if they fail to offer reasonable security.
Hiring an experienced lawyer is the best way to hold all responsible parties accountable.
At M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers, we have over 100 years of combined experience. Our Los Angeles premises liability lawyers have received the Avvo Client’s Choice Award for excellent client service. We’re also lifelong members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
When you trust our legal team to protect your rights, you can rest assured that we will:
- Conduct a detailed investigation into the circumstances of your attack
- Review area crime maps, interview neighbors, and gather other evidence to support your claim
- Calculate the fair value of your damages award
- Protect you if the property owner tries to blame you for allowing the attack to happen
- Negotiate with the property owner’s insurance company on your behalf
Getting fair compensation can make a world of difference for your future. To learn more about how an experienced Los Angeles negligent security attorney can help, please call to schedule a free initial consultation today.
How Common Are Violent Crimes in Los Angeles?
Violent crime in Los Angeles increased 3.9% in 2021 when compared to 2020. In 2021 alone, 30,078 violent crimes were reported in the city of Los Angeles.
On average, the rate of violent crimes in Los Angeles County is 5.59 crimes per 1,000 residents. About 86% of all counties are safer than Los Angeles County.
When crimes occur on someone else’s property, the business can be financially responsible.
Examples of potentially responsible parties include operators of:
- Bars
- Restaurants
- Nightclubs
- Colleges and universities
- Apartment complexes and landlords
- Hotels
- Office complexes
- Parking garages
- Parking lots
- Sports complexes
- Hospitals and nursing homes
- Shopping malls
- Grocery stores
- Gas stations
- Banks
- Pawnshops
- Cruise ships
In addition to facing criminal charges, your attacker can also be held liable for damages in civil court. That’s because assault and sexual assault are both criminal acts and intentional torts.
What is My Los Angeles Negligent Security Case Worth?
While you may have the right to financial compensation like any car accident victim, the insurance company won’t simply hand over the fair compensation you deserve. You’ll have to prove how much your personal injury case is worth.
The value of your claim will depend on:
- The nature of the attack
- The severity of your injuries
- Your prognosis and the duration of your recovery
- Whether you’ll miss time at work and lose income because of the injuries
- Damage to your quality of life
- Your ongoing emotional and physical pain and suffering
- The strength of your negligence case and the nature of the property owner’s omissions
The insurance adjuster and property owner may seem sympathetic to your suffering. They may even offer a quick settlement check. While they may genuinely care, it’s important to recognize that these tactics are designed to convince you to accept less than you deserve.
Our experienced Los Angeles negligent security attorneys can review your case and any settlement offer for free. We’ve handled cases like yours and know how to estimate the value of your personal injury claim. Call our law offices to get the legal advice you deserve today.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims in a Negligent Security Case?
Damages in negligent security cases are divided into three primary categories: economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages. A successful personal injury settlement should account for all three.
Economic damages provide you with money to cover the financial expenses related to your injuries, including:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages, income, and employment benefits
- Reduced earning potential
- Rehabilitation
- Mental health counseling
- Property damage
- Any out-of-pocket expenses
Non-economic damages compensate for the emotional toll of the attack. That may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical scars or disfigurement
- Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Damage to relationships
- Shame and humiliation
- Loss of consortium
It’s possible that your award may also include punitive damages to punish the attacker for intentional wrongdoing.
Our Los Angeles Negligent Security Lawyers Will Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Injuries
Intentional criminal acts can result in substantial damages. At M&Y personal injury lawyers, we’re here to help you fight to recover fair compensation for:
Assault and sexual assault can also cause serious emotional damage. In fact, your mental suffering can last long after your physical wounds have healed. We’ll fight to make sure your compensation award accounts for your anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health disorders.
What is Negligent Security?
You probably know that you can seek compensation if you slip and fall because of dangerous conditions on someone else’s property. However, property owners are always responsible for keeping their premises reasonably safe for customers and invited visitors. That duty includes installing reasonable security measures to prevent criminal activity.
“Negligent security” is the term used to describe a failure to take adequate security measures. However, the definition of “adequate security” can vary widely from case to case. Liability in these cases depends on what is reasonable under the circumstances.
Examples of reasonable security measures may include:
- Installing video surveillance cameras or metal detectors
- Fixing locks
- Responding to a security company’s alerts
- Installing adequate lighting
- Installing fences or locked gates
- Training employees to respond to criminal threats
- Hiring security guards
- Providing adequate warning about potential criminal activity in the area
Business owners are typically only liable if the criminal activity was reasonably foreseeable. If the business is located in a high-crime area, the owner will have a broader duty to take precautions.
Factors that are relevant in determining the scope of the business owner’s duty include:
- Prior criminal activity in the neighborhood
- The type of business and whether it’s likely to attract criminals (e.g., pawnshops and banks)
- The type of client attracted to the business (e.g., nightclubs and bars)
- The location of the business
Business owners aren’t responsible for any crime that occurs on the premises. Instead, they’re only liable for injuries caused by their own negligence.
Without much legal experience, it can be difficult to know whether someone else is responsible for your injuries after an attack. Call our Los Angeles negligent security lawyers to discuss your case in detail today. We’ll do everything possible to explain your legal options and recover the fair compensation you deserve.
How Do I Establish Liability in a Negligent Security Case in California?
Negligent security claims are governed by premises liability laws in California. Generally, property owners must exercise reasonable care to keep others safe.
Business owners are subject to a heightened duty of care. To prove liability, you’ll have to establish:
- The business owner owed you a legal duty of care
- The business owner should have reasonably foreseen the criminal activity
- A lack of proper security measures allowed the attack or assault to take place
- You were injured or suffered damages
The property owner could be financially liable for your injuries even if they had nothing to do with the crime itself. They’re liable for the sole reason that their negligence allowed the attack to happen.
How Long Do I Have to File a Negligent Security Lawsuit in California?
It’s important to take action quickly if you were injured because of inadequate security on someone else’s property. The business owner might quickly fix the dangerous conditions that allowed your attack to happen.
Under California’s statute of limitations, you only have two years to take legal action and file a personal injury lawsuit. After two years have passed, you lose your right to sue for damages.
If you were injured because of a business owner’s negligence in Southern California, our lawyers can help. Call M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Los Angeles negligent security lawyer.
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