Atlanta Inadequate Security Lawyer
As a Result of Unsafe Conditions or a Failure to Provide Adequate Security
It’s just not possible to always predict where crimes will occur and with what frequency. However, it’s a well-known fact in Georgia law enforcement circles that criminals will seek out soft targets where there is less of a chance of getting caught. Security cameras, guard gates, and streetlights might not eliminate crime, but when someone has ill intent, those things can certainly be a deterrent. Not having them can be an invitation for crime.
The law office of Spaulding Injury Law represents northern Georgia victims in their claims of inadequate security. If you were the victim of a crime at or near your apartment or condo (or anywhere that adequate security was not provided), and you believe that the crime could have been prevented with cursory security measures, the attorneys of Spaulding Injury Law want to discuss your case with you.
Inadequate Security Claims Lawyers in Atlanta and Northern Georgia
The plaintiffs in inadequate security lawsuits are usually the victims of either a property crime, such as burglary, theft, or vandalism; or they’re the victim of a crime against their person, like robbery, assault, battery, or rape. If these crimes could have been possibly been prevented with reasonable security measures, then the grounds for an inadequate security claim exist. Some of the things that our Spaulding Injury Law attorneys examine are:
- Security Measures – Are security guards employed? Were the fences in a state of disrepair? Does the apartment, parking garage, etcetera have cameras? Were they working? Were there signs posted? If the answer to these questions is no, then the facility’s security is suspect.
- History – This includes both the past history of crimes on the premises and the complaints from the residents or customers who frequent it. If there is a crime trend in the parking lot or the surrounding area (break-ins, vandalism, etcetera), and the property manager or business owner chose to ignore it, then their complacency may have contributed to the likelihood of a crime.
- Maintenance – Burned out light bulbs, holes in fences, damaged cameras, broken windows or doors can all make it easier for a criminal to enter or leave the property without being detected. It makes little sense to man the entrance with a security guard, if the lock on the back door is broken. Poorly maintained properties are fertile grounds for criminal activity.
The law firm of Spaulding Injury Law can assess the facility in question and make a determination as to the viability of your legal case. If necessary, our lawyers can employ professional security analysts to perform an assessment of the property.
Premises That Are Required to Provide Security
There is an implication when you enter most businesses that they are safe and legal establishments. The same holds true for residential communities like apartments, condominiums, and mobile home parks. Here are some examples of the types of premises that should provide security, but often don’t:
- Apartment Buildings/Complexes
- Condominiums
- Dormitories
- Parking Lots/Garages
- Movie Theaters
- Shopping Malls
- Assisted Living Facilities/Nursing Homes
- College Campuses
- Bars/Nightclubs (both inside and outside)
- Sporting Facilities and Events
- Department Stores
- Carnivals
- Daycare Centers
- Convenience Stores
- Grocers
Injuries Can be Serious
Many injuries can result from assault that happens due to negligent security, including head trauma, fractures, gunshot wounds, lacerations, and more. Sexual assault can also happen when there is inadequate security, leading to serious physical and emotional injuries. No matter what type of injuries you suffered, always seek medical treatment immediately following the incident.
Call 911 to report the crime, and law enforcement and medical services should arrive. Report the incident to the business or property owner where it took place. Then, heed the advice of medical personnel if you need treatment.
Even if your injuries do not seem that bad at first, certain injuries, like concussions, can worsen over time and develop complications. You want a diagnosis of all your injuries immediately – this allows you to begin treatment right away to hopefully improve your prognosis. Having an immediate diagnosis also proves to insurance companies and courts that you sustained serious injuries in the incident.
Once your medical condition is stable, begin considering your legal rights. In addition to any criminal charges against the assailant, you might have a negligent security case to impose civil liability on a business that was also responsible.
Proving a Negligent Security Claim
Whether or not you are entitled to compensation for your injuries will depend on whether the business in question owed you a duty of security, and whether or not that duty was breached. This determination requires careful consideration of the unique facts and circumstances of your incident, as well as legal principles. You always want a negligent security attorney reviewing your situation and advising whether you have a case.
A lawyer can gather the evidence needed to prove all elements of your negligent security claim whenever possible, and the sooner you begin the legal process, the better.
Damages in an Atlanta Inadequate Security Claim
It is important to remember that you can only collect compensation for damages that you can prove, and proof requires evidence. After your negligent security injury, you might only have emergency medical bills and other receipts to provide evidence of your losses. This covers some of the short-term costs of your injury, but in the long-term, will leave you having to pay bills out of your own pocket.
One important purpose of hiring an attorney is to ensure that you calculate and prove all your damages for your past and future losses. Too many people highly underestimate their losses following an injury, but your lawyer will identify all losses that should be compensated. These can include:
- Past medical expenses
- Costs of future medical treatment
- Psychological treatment costs
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Future lost income
Measuring the future medical and occupational losses from your injury often requires opinions from medical and occupational experts. Medical experts determine what treatment your injury will require in the long-term, including surgeries, ongoing doctor’s care, medication, or rehabilitation. Medical experts also provide insight into how your symptoms might evolve or magnify over time and impact your life. An occupational expert then applies the information from your medical records to determine how your injury might influence your ability to work in the future.
In the period immediately after your injury, your losses will involve the wages and work benefits that you lost during your initial recovery. However, if you cannot return to work for some time – or at all – your damages should also cover any change in your long-term earning ability from the time of your injury through your working life.
You also deserve damages for the intangible losses you suffered, including pain and emotional trauma. Being the victim of a crime can result in PTSD and other psychological conditions that require treatment.
Calculating the damages that you are entitled to can be complicated, and you never want to risk getting less than you deserve for your injuries. Your experienced attorney from Spaulding Injury Law can advise you on how much your claim should be worth. They can then fight for full compensation from the business or property owner’s insurance company by filing an inadequate security claim.
Your Negligent Security Lawyer Handles Every Step of Your Claim
One of the key benefits of working with an attorney is the fact that once you hire an attorney, you can sit back and focus on your physical recovery while your attorney focuses on recovering the best possible compensation for you. When you work with the right law firm, you will not have to worry about handling any negotiations or communications with the opposing party or the insurance company responsible for compensating you.
You might worry that when you have been injured by negligent security, you might not be able to afford an attorney to recover the damages you are entitled to. Often, our clients are surprised to learn that if we take their case, it does not cost them anything up front or anything out of pocket. This is because we handle cases on a contingency basis, which means we only get paid if we win your case. This arrangement means that anyone who suffers injuries can afford to consult with and hire a negligent security attorney.
Reaching out to an Atlanta negligent security lawyer from Spaulding Injury Law for a risk-free consultation will help you determine whether or not you have a case and if we can help. We have decades of combined experience serving clients like you, helping them recover the full damages they are entitled to in complex cases. We can begin protecting your rights soon after your initial consultation, so please never wait to reach out and learn more information.
Security – A Part of Doing Business
If companies, landlords, and restaurateurs want your patronage, they should look after your security. If they fail to do so, and you are the victim of a crime, you have grounds for a lawsuit. Let a reputable, experienced Atlanta personal injury attorney examine your claim.
If you have been injured as a result of negligent security, whether at the mall, your apartment complex, or elsewhere, the experienced attorneys from Spaulding Injury Law are standing by to consult on your case. Reaching out as soon as possible after your accident will help to ensure that the evidence you need to support your case is collected, and your claim is put together with the best possible chance of success.
To schedule an appointment with a Spaulding Injury Law attorney at our Cumming, Georgia office, contact us at (770) 887-3162. We serve clients in Metro Atlanta, Cumming, and all over Northern Georgia. Spaulding Injury Law: Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyers is located at 50 Hurt Plaza SE #1536, Atlanta, GA 30303, United.
Inadequate Security Claims FAQs
If you or someone you love has suffered losses as a result of a commercial property’s inadequate security, you are likely wrestling with some serious questions about your rights and how best to proceed. Fortunately, the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions may help you with your own.
Can I file an inadequate security claim?
In order to bring a successful inadequate security claim, each of the following elements must be present:
- The property in question must have had a responsibility to your safety, which is called a duty of care in legal terms. Commercial property owners are generally tasked with providing the same level of security that other property owners in similar situations provide.
- You must have been on the premises legally, such as in the role of a customer, a client, a visitor, or another kind of guest. In other words, you weren’t trespassing illegally.
- The property owners must have been negligent in terms of living up to the duty of care that was owed to you, which typically means they failed to provide adequate security measures.
- This inadequacy must have been the direct cause of your injuries or losses.
- You must have suffered losses that are covered by the law, which can include medical expenses, loss of property, lost earnings, or physical and emotional pain and suffering.
What is my inadequate security claim worth?
Every inadequate security claim follows its own unique path, which is based on the unique circumstances that make it up. The value of your claim will be based on the extent of the damages you incur, and making sure that every category of your covered losses is well represented is paramount. Having a dedicated Atlanta inadequate security lawyer in your corner can help to ensure that your settlement covers your full range of physical, financial, and emotional losses in their entirety.
Can I afford to move forward with an inadequate security claim?
The truth is that inadequate security claims in Georgia are complicated legal matters, and without professional legal counsel on your side, you’re far more likely to walk away with compensation that is inadequate to cover your complete losses. This is why the majority of reputable Atlanta inadequate security lawyers work on a contingency basis, which means they assume the financial risk in the matter. Your attorney’s pay will be based on the compensation that you receive, and if you do settle or receive a court award, your attorney will be paid a predetermined percentage. If your claim, however, is not successful, you won’t owe anything.
Is there a time limit for bringing an inadequate security claim?
Yes, like other states, Georgia has what is known as a statute of limitations when it comes to negligence-based cases, including inadequate security cases. In Georgia, you have only two years from the date of the inadequate security incident in question to file a lawsuit against the negligent property owner, and because these cases are challenging, consulting with a seasoned Atlanta inadequate security lawyer sooner rather than later is always in your best interest.
