Orlando Negligent Security Attorneys
When we shop in a retail store, dine at a restaurant, or stay at a hotel, we tend to take for granted the safety of our surroundings. We assume that the establishment has implemented adequate security measures to keep us safe. In reality, that is not always the case, and the ramifications can be life-altering and long-lasting.
If you have been injured in a physical or sexual assault while on the property of a business, restaurant, or hotel, and you believe that inadequate or non-existent security was a contributing factor, you may be entitled to compensation for the injuries you suffered as a consequence of that assault.
At Bailey Fisher, we are keenly aware that no amount of money can truly compensate the victim of an assault for the injuries he or she suffered. However, we also believe that when the failure of a business to provide adequate security contributed to an assault, the owner should be held liable for that failure, and the victim should be compensated fairly for injury-related expenses, losses, pain, and suffering.
Understanding “Negligent Security” and Premises Liability
“Negligent security” is one way in which property owners can breach the legal duty of care owed to visitors to their property. That duty of care arises in the context of premises liability, a legal concept that addresses injuries to your person while you are on the property of another. Under the theory of premises liability, a property owner owes a legal duty of reasonable care to a visitor on the property.
Within the context of premises liability, visitors to a property are classified as invitees, licensees, or trespassers. The extent of the duty of care owed to a visitor is directly related to the visitor’s classification. The highest duty of care is owed to an invitee, defined as someone who is lawfully on the property, by express or implied invitation of the owner, to conduct business of some sort. If you are at a restaurant to dine, at a hotel to sleep, or at a retail store to shop, you are considered an invitee. The duty of care on the part of the property owner or manager may also depend on the nature of the business involved.
Property owners have a duty to keep the premises free from hazards that are known to them or that could reasonably have been discovered by them. Failing to provide adequate security for invitees is one way that a property owner can breach that duty of care.
Injuries Caused by Negligent Security
Negligent security can apply both to the failure to protect a visitor’s personal information and the failure to protect the visitor’s actual person. In the context of a data breach, negligent security typically occurs when a business fails to keep your identifying information safe. The result of that failure might lead to the unauthorized use of the credit card you used to pay at the establishment or even the wholesale theft of your identity.
Negligent security may also refer to a property owner’s failure to provide or maintain adequate lighting in hallways, parking areas, and other potentially vulnerable areas. In a hotel, it might also be shown by the existence of an inadequate keycard system or failure to conduct background checks on employees with access to guest rooms. In essence, anything that allows a predator to more easily assault a visitor to the property could be considered negligent security.
The result of this type of negligent security may be something as simple as a basic theft of belongings that should have been secure in a guest’s room or vehicle. It could also refer to something much more serious and emotionally traumatic, such as a physical and/or sexual assault.
Compensation for the Victim of Negligent Security
If you have been the victim of a theft or assault while on the property of a business, you may be entitled to compensation for the injuries you suffered. The law understands that no amount of money is worth suffering through a physical or sexual assault; however, when a property owner’s negligent conduct contributed to that assault, the law may provide for the owner to be held accountable. The way to do that is through a personal injury lawsuit based on the concept of premises liability for failure to provide adequate security.
Get Help from Experienced Orlando Negligent Security Attorneys
The negligent security attorneys at Bailey Fisher have extensive experience in premises liability and other personal injury cases and bring a strong sense of commitment to helping people who have suffered serious, often life-changing injuries due to someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing.
If you or a family member has been seriously injured while on the property of a business, and you believe that negligent security was a factor in the incident that gave rise to your injuries, we want to help you hold the responsible parties accountable for their negligence and help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Call us at 407-628-2929 or submit our online form today for a free case evaluation. One of our experienced Orlando negligent security attorneys will listen to the details of your case and advise you on your best course of action. For viable personal injury cases, we will follow up with the necessary legal action to hold the responsible party accountable for their negligence and recover the financial compensation you deserve for your pain, suffering, and losses.