Negligent Security Lawyer in Montgomery

Property owners have a duty to protect visitors from foreseeable harm. If you were injured because of negligent security on someone else’s property, a Montgomery premises liability lawyer can help you seek damages.

The team at Wettermark Keith has recovered over $1.5 billion for clients like you. If you were harmed on someone else’s property due to poor security, a negligent security lawyer in Montgomery can help you file a claim and seek compensation.

How a Montgomery Negligent Security Lawyer Can Help

Negligent security cases often involve complicated questions about whether the property owner should have anticipated criminal activity and whether reasonable security measures could have prevented the incident.

A Montgomery personal injury lawyer can:

• Investigate the incident: We can collect police reports, surveillance footage, photographs, witness statements, incident reports, and other evidence to determine what happened and who is responsible.
• Evaluate the property: We can examine the location for inadequate lighting, broken locks, missing security cameras, unsecured entrances, or other safety issues.
• Review prior criminal activity: We can investigate whether similar crimes occurred on or near the property before your injury.
• Calculate your losses: We can assess your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages and calculate your claim’s value.
• Handle settlement negotiations: We can communicate with insurers and work to negotiate a fair settlement.
• Pursue a lawsuit: If a settlement cannot be reached, we can pursue your claim in court.

What Types of Damages Can You Pursue?

If you establish liability for a negligent security incident, you may be entitled to compensation for a wide range of damages, including:

• Emergency medical treatment: You can recover the cost of ambulance transportation, emergency room treatment, and other immediate care you received.
• Hospital expenses: You can recover the cost of hospitalization, surgeries, and inpatient treatment.
• Ongoing medical care: You can seek compensation for the cost of physical therapy, rehabilitation, follow-up appointments, and other necessary treatment.
• Lost wages: You may recover income you could not earn while recovering from your injuries.
• Reduced earning capacity: You may receive additional compensation if your injuries affect your ability to earn a living in the future.
• Pain and suffering: You can pursue damages for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by your injuries.
• Loss of enjoyment of life: You may recover additional compensation if your injuries prevent you from participating in activities you previously enjoyed.
• Property damage: You can recoup the cost of repairing or replacing personal property damaged or destroyed during the incident.
• Punitive damages: You can pursue punitive damages if the defendant acted with conscious or reckless disregard for your safety.

How Long Do You Have to File a Negligent Security Lawsuit in Alabama?

In most cases, you have two years from the date of your injury to file a Montgomery negligent security lawsuit.  However, special deadlines can apply in certain situations. Claims involving governmental entities, for example, can involve different notice requirements and shorter deadlines.

Missing the applicable deadline can prevent you from recovering compensation, which is why it’s important to get in touch with our Montgomery negligent security lawyers as soon as you decide to file a premises liability lawsuit.

What is Negligent Security?

Negligent security refers to when a property owner fails to provide reasonable safety measures, allowing a third party to commit a crime that harms someone on the premises.

Property owners do not necessarily have to prevent every crime that occurs on their property. However, the circumstances surrounding the property may create an obligation to take reasonable precautions against foreseeable criminal activity.

For example, a property may have a history of assaults or robberies. If management knows about repeated criminal activity but fails to improve security, a victim may have grounds to argue that the property was inadequately protected.

What are Common Examples of Inadequate Security?

Negligent security can take many forms. Common examples include:

• Broken or inadequate locks: Doors, gates, or windows may not properly secure a building.
• Poor lighting: Dark parking lots, stairwells, walkways, and entrances may make criminal activity easier to conceal.
• Missing security cameras: Cameras may have deterred criminal conduct or provided evidence that could have helped identify an attacker.
• Lack of security personnel: A property may fail to provide guards despite circumstances suggesting additional security is reasonably necessary.
• Unsecured entrances: Doors or gates may be left open or accessible to unauthorized individuals.
• Broken access–control systems: Key cards, gates, intercoms, or other access systems may be defective or improperly maintained.
• Failure to respond to previous crimes: Management may fail to take reasonable precautions after repeated incidents.
• Failure to warn occupants: Property managers may fail to provide appropriate warnings about known security threats.

Who is Liable for Negligent Security?

Proving liability is one of the most important parts of a premises liability claim. Potentially responsible parties can include:

• Property owners: Owners may be responsible for maintaining reasonably safe premises.
• Property management companies: A management company may have responsibility for security, maintenance, or responding to known problems.
• Business operators: A business occupying leased property may have certain responsibilities for customers and other visitors.
• Security companies: A contracted security company may potentially be responsible when negligent security services contribute to an injury.
• Other contractors: Companies responsible for locks, gates, cameras, lighting, or access systems may sometimes share liability for an injury.

What to Do After a Negligent Security Incident in Montgomery

Your actions after an assault or other criminal incident can affect your ability to obtain compensation. Make sure to:

• Call 911: Report the incident and, if necessary, request emergency medical assistance.
• Report the incident to property management: Notify the appropriate manager or responsible employee.
• Obtain the police report: The police report may contain important information about the incident.
• Document the property: When it is safe to do so, photograph lighting, entrances, locks, gates, cameras, and anything else that may be relevant to your case.
• Identify witnesses: Obtain contact information for people who saw the incident or noticed security problems.
• Seek medical treatment: Get evaluated for your injuries, even if they don’t seem serious.
• Preserve communications: Keep emails, text messages, letters, and other communications concerning security problems or your injury.
• Avoid discussing the claim publicly: Any statements or photographs you post on social media could potentially be used by an opposing party or their insurer.
• Keep records of your losses: Save medical bills, receipts, wage information, and other documentation related to your injury.
• Get legal help: Our Montgomery negligent security attorneys can help gather important evidence before it disappears.

Get Help from a Negligent Security Attorney in Montgomery

An unexpected injury can affect every aspect of your life. If you were harmed in an assault or other criminal incident on someone else’s property, a Montgomery negligent security attorney from Wettermark Keith can help you build a strong claim and pursue damages.

Schedule a free consultation to start putting together your case.