Inglewood Negligent Security Lawyer

Inglewood Negligent Security Attorney

Victims of crimes often endure both physical and mental harm, and those traumatic experiences can make once-familiar spaces feel unsafe. Property owners have an obligation to provide safety measures to prevent crimes from happening to occupants, tenants, and visitors. If the property owner fails to provide this duty of care, they can be held accountable by an Inglewood negligent security lawyer.

McLachlan Law, APC, has represented many clients in negligent security cases, and our lawyers have won favorable settlements for many of those clients.

What Is the Negligent Security Law in Inglewood?

In California, many premises liability cases focus on whether the property owner failed to provide adequate security before a crime occurred. When someone is assaulted, harmed, or killed on someone else’s property, the property owner or owners could be held financially liable.

Certain facts have to be proven in these types of cases, such as whether the property had a history of criminal activity and whether the property owner had reason to believe that their building or land posed a danger to customers, visitors, or tenants.

The courts will examine matters related to the security of a complex, building, or housing unit. Security cameras, electric gates, lighting, and other steps are now commonplace, and landowners are often expected to provide these basic safety precautions. If an owner fails to take reasonable steps to secure their property or repair damaged security devices, they can be held accountable through the civil courts.

Landlords or business owners are typically the defendants in these cases. Sometimes, a property is owned by a group of investors. In those cases, the group would be listed as the defendant. Crimes that lead to negligent security cases can occur in establishments such as:

• Bars
• Motels
• Nightclubs
• Apartment buildings
• Parking garages
• Malls
• Other privately owned properties

Factors That Courts Consider in Negligent Security Cases

Not every criminal act in Inglewood leads to a negligent security claim. When property owners take proactive steps to ensure the safety of occupants and visitors, those property owners are often seen as being responsible owners who are not liable. Your negligent security case may be successful if your lawyer can gather evidence that the property owner knew that there was the potential for criminal acts on their property but they took no precautionary steps to protect visitors.

One example would be if there was a history of crimes occurring on or near the property that the owner knew about. Landlords are responsible for running criminal background checks on tenants. If the landlord allowed a felon to live on the property when that was against the department’s policy, the property owner could be held responsible for crimes that occurred as a result of that felon living on the premises.

Even when the facts of your case are clear, proving a negligent security case requires the work of an experienced lawyer who understands California law and how to investigate their client’s cases. McLachlan Law, APC, has helped many clients favorably settle these types of cases.

What Can I Be Compensated For?

Your negligent security lawyer can consider the facts of your case when calculating what a fair settlement could look like. Working with an attorney who has experience litigating these types of cases can help you maximize any monetary compensation that you are owed.

Medical expenses are often a top consideration here. Attacks and assaults can leave victims seeking emergency medical care. Recovery can require weeks or months of therapy. Even with health insurance, victims of crimes can be left with large medical bills. Your lawyer can include those expenses and anticipated medical expenses when coming up with a settlement offer for the defendant.

Lost wages are another factor that your lawyer can consider. In some cases, victims are left missing work or disabled from the attack. Your legal costs will be included, as well as compensation for your pain and suffering. There is no guarantee that the defendant will pay the full settlement offer. Negotiations can take weeks or months before both parties agree on a settlement, if they do at all.

Your attorney can work to ensure that any amount that you accept covers the costs of your injury and anticipated costs. If both parties do not agree to settle the case, it will go to trial.

Should I Take Legal Action If I Was the Victim of a Violent Crime?

Victims of crime suffer physical and emotional harm. The purpose of civil litigation is to hold the responsible parties accountable so that victims are justly compensated for their pain and suffering.

If you were recently the victim of a crime, you may be hesitant to take legal action because you worry about retaliation from your landlord or property owner. Under state law, no one can retaliate against you for the lawful use of the court system. Your lawyer can protect you from retaliation by putting the defendant on notice that you now have legal representation.

Taking legal action against a negligent property owner can compel the property owner to take public safety seriously. Unfortunately, many people fail to do the right thing until there are consequences. A successful negligent security case can improve overall safety for everyone living in your community.

Common Examples of Negligent Security

If a private business that operates in a high crime area decides to cut the number of security guards and someone visiting that business is mugged, the owners of the property could be held accountable for the victim’s injuries. A judge or jury may consider whether cutting security measures was a reasonable or reckless decision.

If a hospital allows the public to use their staff’s parking lot and someone is robbed there, the hospital’s owners could be liable for not providing basic safety measures.

Many apartment complexes have an electric gate. These gates ensure that unknown persons cannot enter the apartment complex. If the gate breaks, it can remain in the open position, allowing anyone to come and go throughout the night. This creates a danger for residents and a possible liability for the property owner.

If an apartment landlord knows that a tenant is actively committing crimes and does not evict that tenant, anyone on the property who is harmed by that criminal could sue the property owners for negligence. Property owners have a responsibility to keep anyone on their property safe.

Another example would be if the landlord was supposed to screen the criminal history of tenants but failed to do so. If someone with a history of committing sexual assaults is allowed to live near women and then attacks a woman, that victim could sue the apartment owners.

FAQs

Q: How Much Does a Negligent Injury Lawyer Charge?

A: Lawyers charge $200 to $400 an hour on average. Some may charge much more, depending on their experience and choice of legal focus. If your attorney works on a billable hour system, you will likely pay a retainer, and your lawyer can bill you for work until the retailer is used up. Other lawyers work on a contingency basis, meaning that the lawyer is paid from the settlement or jury award.

Q: What Happens If My Case Goes to Trial?

A: If both parties do not agree on a settlement amount, the case will go to trial. This means that a jury or judge will decide if the plaintiff was harmed by the actions of the defendant. In a civil case, the plaintiff must show that a preponderance of evidence supports the merits of their case. If the judge or jury agrees, they will award a monetary award. A judge or jury has wide discretion in how much money to award.

Q: What Might the Defendant Argue?

A: Opposing counsel may argue that the property owner had no direct involvement in the criminal acts of someone else. They may try to portray you as irresponsible and partly to blame for your injuries. The job of a negligent security lawyer is to anticipate those arguments and rebut them using evidence and testimony.

Q: How Long Will My Case Take?

A: Your case could take several months or more than a year to settle. When both parties agree to a settlement amount, that can close a case within a few months. Agreement on a settlement will save both parties from having to go to trial, which can add several months or longer to the case’s timeline. While the process can seem slow, having patience can come with advantages that can pay off when you receive a fair settlement.

Schedule Your Inglewood Negligent Security Lawyer Consultation

When someone is harmed, and the property owner could have taken steps to prevent that crime, the victim of that crime can sue the property owner for monetary damages. McLachlan Law, APC, is here to protect your rights and seek compensation from the at-fault party. We have helped many clients win large settlements following a violent attack on private property. To start the process, contact our office today to schedule your consultation.