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Property owners are responsible for keeping their premises safe for anyone who occupies their building or land. If they fail to do so and someone gets hurt, they could be liable for causing any injuries. This includes keeping the area free of dangerous hazards like liquid spills or exposed electrical wires, and in some situations, the owners have a duty to provide adequate security to prevent or mitigate criminal activity.
If you have been a victim of a crime on someone else’s property because they neglected to provide reasonable security, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and a Chicago negligent security lawyer could help you with the legal process. The experienced premises liability attorneys at McCready Law could provide rigorous representation against the property owner so you can focus on recovering from your experience.
Negligence is a broad term used in personal injury cases that generally means someone owed another person a duty of care but failed in that duty and, as a result, the person got hurt. Property owners owe a duty of care to those who enter their land or buildings, which usually means the owner must keep the premises safe, so visitors do not get injured.
In some situations, a property owner or manager must provide adequate security in and around the premises to guard against criminal activity. In particular, property owners owe a duty to others on their land safe from violent crimes such as robbery, sexual assault, battery, or even murder. If someone is a victim of a violent crime that could have been prevented with reasonable security measures, the victim could recover compensation from the property owner.
Holding landowners accountable for neglecting the safety of occupants on their land is a challenge and victims of violent crimes in Chicago should consult with a negligent security attorney. A dedicated lawyer could review the facts and circumstances to help victims present their case in court.
The security of a building or land includes everything in and around the premises, but the adequacy of the security measures heavily depends on the circumstances. A history of past violent crimes in the area could put the owner on notice to provide a higher level of security or take steps to fix any deficiencies in the current measures.
At a standard level, the building should be secure so that only authorized individuals may enter so the locks, doorways, and alarms must be in proper working condition. Broken locks must be fixed or replaced, doors should shut completely, and alarms should be activated when triggered. A property owner could be held responsible for victims of violent crimes if the perpetrator was able to enter the building because of missing locks, a broken door, or faulty alarms.
Adequate security could also include personnel decisions from the owner. Depending on the circumstances, regular security guard patrol could be a necessary feature to offer occupiers in the building and a failure to provide security guards could result in someone being a victim. In addition, the property owner must run complete background checks on their employees to properly vet them.
Landowners must provide adequate safety measures for their buildings and personnel to prevent violent crimes. Victims in Chicago should talk to a devoted attorney if they believe that inadequate security failed to prevent the commission of a crime.
Property owners owe you a duty of care when you are on their land or in their buildings which includes providing proper safety measures to prevent violent crimes. If you have been the victim of a violent crime because the landowner neglected to provide proper security, talk to a Chicago negligent security lawyer to learn about your legal options.
You may be entitled to recover compensation for your hospital bills, emotional trauma, or lost wages and a compassionate attorney at McCready Law could help you through this process. Call us now to schedule a private consultation.