Compton Negligent Security Lawyer

Compton Negligent Security Attorney

You should be able to think of yourself and your family as relatively safe in public places due to proprietors typically taking precautions for their guests’ safety. Property owners are held responsible for the protection of their visitors against third-party threats. If you suffered injury or damages because of a location’s negligent security measures, talk to a skilled, compassionate Compton negligent security lawyer from McLachlan Law, APC, for quality legal advice.

With over 25 years of civil litigation experience, our premises liability lawyer is qualified to provide you with excellent legal guidance in the midst of a negligent security case. Regardless of how complex your case is, we’re prepared to fight for the compensation you need. We understand how devastating a negligent security issue can be, and we want to obtain recovery for your damages on your behalf.

What Is the Negligent Security Law in California?

Negligent security is a type of premises liability regarding cases of personal injury; it is defined as such within the California Civil Code, stating that the owner(s) of a property is liable for the safety or injury of anybody on the premises. Therefore, business and building owners are obligated to institute measures to prevent visitors from having an accident leading to injuries. This includes establishing sufficient security measures within the property.

When premises leave their guests vulnerable due to inadequate security precautions, staff and visitors are more susceptible to a range of serious crimes such as harassment, assault, fights, mugging/robbery, abduction, manslaughter, and homicide. Additionally, victims and witnesses of these criminal activities may suffer potentially long-lasting physical and/or psychological distress. In the instance of any claim, the neglect charges in Compton, CA, are the owner’s liability.

Who and Where Has a Negligent Security Liability?

The types of businesses and institutions to which premises liability is applicable can include shops/stores and malls, clubs and entertainment establishments, daycare and education buildings including colleges, restaurants/food shops and bars, healthcare centers, parking facilities, concert and event venues, ATMs, apartment complexes, hotels, office buildings, and government buildings.

The “owner” of the property where you or a loved one endured harm from a third-party threat/attack could be a landlord, an independent shop owner, or a corporation. In some cases, instead of, or in addition to, the property owner being liable, the responsibility may also fall on a local party or government, such as a security or property management company that the owner hired.

Acceptable and Insufficient Security Practices: Procedures and Conditions

Some security measures that are advisable for organizations or businesses trying to avoid negligent security and any resulting injuries they would be liable for include:

• A functioning surveillance system with security cameras that are easily visible. This precaution is known to deter criminal activity since potential offenders know they are being watched or recorded. Furthermore, proper surveillance may assist in identifying perpetrators.An establishment with surveillance cameras that are not apparent, not clearly functioning, or completely nonexistent may invite or indicate to criminals that the premises is an ideal spot to attack since it appears unguarded.
• Emergency exits that are noticeably labeled. This security measure is for patrons who enter the property expecting to be kept safe. In the event of developing danger, clearly marked ways out of the premises may save visitors from harm.If a guest is facing jeopardy or has already been attacked, a lack of obvious exits may extend the harm or get them lost in their pursuit of safety.
• Doors, gates, and windows with effective locking mechanisms. This is an obvious safeguard against covert criminal activity.
  If accessways into and out of the property are unsuccessfully locked or easily bypassable, that leaves the premises as an easy target for offenders to sneak in and out.
• Sufficient lighting throughout the premises, including the parking areas. Ensuring that all relevant property areas are properly lit deters criminal activity since potential perpetrators would be in full view of witnesses and, ideally, security cameras.Dim, dull, or malfunctioning lighting fixtures not only denote an unsupervised area but may also cause those poorly lit sections to be more susceptible to slip-and-fall incidents.
• Train staff members on how to maintain a safe/secure facility and how to proceed in situations where security measures fail. Educating the employees of a property on how to maintain the above security precautions will diminish lapses in optimal safety.Having procedures in place to combat these instances (e.g., implementing signs pointing to the exits when lights are burnt out) can make up the difference
• A functioning and forceful alarm system. Implementing this precaution would not only deter theft or destruction of the property but also protect tenants, overnight staff, and potential bystanders.
  
• Owners opting to hire professional security officers. This defensive measure is particularly appropriate for locations with a known high crime rate. The presence of security officers will establish the property as securely protected.However, if an owner does not maintain a quality security team by employing inadequately trained officers or hiring an insufficient number of personnel to cover the premises, these efforts could be rendered futile. Excessive force by security would also be a liability.
• Installing a screening process upon entry onto the premises. This is an additional security precaution for properties in areas rampant with crime or institutions holding important assets or meetings.

Criminal vs. Civil Court Cases: Where Personal Injury Fits in

If you have, or think you may have, experienced an injury or harmful distress due to a location’s inadequate security, you are within your right to pursue an injury claim and contact an attorney. The personal injury charges only apply to the property’s owner and not the criminal offender. The trial between you and the owner would transpire within civil court since no criminal violations occurred, and instead, the plaintiff and defendant are private citizens.

The perpetrator can face legal proceedings in criminal court and may if they are identified and found. If proven guilty, they may be subject to penalties such as fines and incarceration, depending on the specific crimes and inflicted damages. Contrastingly, the owner of the premises won’t face jail time and likely will be ordered by the court to contribute to your awarded compensation instead.

There is no requirement that you need to wait for the criminal case to begin, end, or happen at all in order to pursue legal action for inadequate security by the property owner. However, the conviction of the offender could help strengthen your civil case against all liable parties.

How Long After My Injury Can I File a Claim?

Cases of injury as a result of negligent security have the same statute of limitations as other kinds of personal injury claims: two years from the event. Some exceptions may apply, such as if the victim was a minor during the event, if the negligent owner is missing/incarcerated, or if there is a reasonable delay in injury discovery.

A personal injury lawyer can help determine if you still qualify if the statute of limitations in your situation has already passed. It’s wise to begin your case with a skilled negligent security attorney as soon as you can. Having ample time to build a strong case improves your chances of success in legal proceedings.

How a Negligent Security Lawyer Assists You

In a personal injury case of negligent security, your lawyer represents you and argues on your behalf in a court of law. In legal proceedings, they will mainly be prosecuting the defendant and providing evidence of the damages you suffered as a result of their negligence.

Prior to appearing in court, your negligent security lawyer will conduct a thorough investigation of the details of your case, including the premises in which you were harmed and the level or lack of security measures present at the time of the criminal activity. How your attorney will carry out determining the effectiveness of the property’s security can vary, but what ultimately matters is that their findings lead to convincing evidence whether:

• The security measures established by the owner at the time of the plaintiff’s harassment or assault were indeed present, functional, or adequate.
• Prior infractions made such criminal activity like the victim endured fairly predictable.
• The property owner had any indication that a visitor was subject to a developing or active crime and failed to warn or contact law enforcement.
• The owner is liable for the harmful acts, and if so, to what level of responsibility based on the above.

Additionally, to prove negligent security, your attorney will need to establish through evidence that you were on the premises lawfully, were injured by a third party there, and harm could’ve been avoided had the owner installed proper security measures. A capable negligent security lawyer, through presenting the details of your case along with supporting arguments, may also earn you the compensation you deserve for your injury, losses, and damages.

The items you may receive recompense for are medical and hospital expenses, future medical bills, rehabilitation and therapy/counseling, permanent disfigurement or long-term impairment, damages to personal property, lost wages, loss of future income or earning capacity, pain and emotional/mental distress and/or trauma, and any funeral or burial costs in the event of wrongful death.

Ways Your Attorney May Prove the Property Owner Was Negligent

The prosecuting lawyer must establish that the criminal event leading to your injury was “foreseeable.” The most apparent evidence of this would be if your case isn’t the first charge of inadequate security leading to personal injury that the property owner has faced.

If this isn’t applicable or to further strengthen your claim’s argument, your attorney may provide evidence that the surrounding area of the property has a high crime rate or is subject to a recent spike in criminal activity. Your legal representation may also ask for testimonies or visual proof from eyewitnesses of prior crimes on the premises or disgruntled visitors or staff who made efforts to inform the owner of certain hazardous conditions.

How to Proceed if Your Negligent Security Injury Happened at Your Job

If you experienced harm, injury, or other damages at your place of employment in Compton, CA, that doesn’t exempt you from the protection you are entitled to and weren’t provided or your right to pursue compensation. After the harmful event, be sure to report the incident to a person of authority at work and share with them all the details and available proof of what happened; the sooner, the better.

Make sure to document the crime independently as well, noting the relevant information like when, where, who, what, etc., including any witnesses or sensible pictures. Don’t hesitate to seek medical treatment, as your health is of the utmost concern. It’s also advisable to file the crime with local law enforcement in the event of preventing further injuries or a potential criminal case.

Speak with your employer’s human resource department about the occurrence, as the company may have procedures in place for situations like yours. Be sure to fully cooperate and assist with the investigation into your case, if possible. In addition to this, you are well within your rights to hire a negligent security attorney to protect your rights and get your deserved compensation.

How Much Does an Inadequate Security Lawyer Cost in Compton, CA?

Most negligent security attorneys and personal injury lawyers in Compton, in general, won’t charge you upfront for their services. They instead work on a contingency basis, meaning you take no risks in approaching legal counsel for your case.

You only have to pay if your attorney wins the case and you are awarded compensation. If they are unable to accomplish that, then you lose nothing and pay no fees. Their payment usually comes from a percentage of your financial compensation, not out of your own pocket.

If You Were Left Vulnerable, Talk to a Compton Negligent Security Lawyer

After efforts to establish effective security precautions were neglected and left you vulnerable, contact McLachlan Law, APC, to get in touch with an attorney qualified in personal injury claims. Our competent lawyer can provide you with helpful information and insight during a consultation and case evaluation meeting.