Security companies are often hired by property owners and others to ensure a safe environment. When issues occur, third parties incurring injuries or property damage may file suit, both against the security company as well as any owners of the property. HG.org explains how negligent security is proven in order for a person to have a successful case.
While it’s true that crime and emergencies can happen anywhere, an incident that causes harm to others isn’t sufficient grounds for a lawsuit. What must be proven with negligent security claims is that property owners or others were aware of the potential for criminal wrongdoing and failed to enact the proper protections. This goes back to the tenet of reasonable care. It must be shown that reasonable care was not taken to safeguard people occupying a property.
In the same token, the person or group filing suit must also establish that an incident was foreseeable based on certain information. For instance, a claim may cite crime statistics in a given neighborhood or region to prove that more rigorous security measures should have taken place. Lack of security systems, such as cameras or alarm mechanisms, may also come into play. For a negligence claim to be most effective, it must contain both a breach of reasonable care and inaction as it pertains to foreseeability.
Criminal wrongdoing, especially when it results in injury or loss of life, can be traumatic for all involved. Many negligent security cases come about because of this trauma since it’s easier to identify a property owner and/or security company than it is to locate the person responsible for a criminal act. This highlights the importance of having a strong negligent security defense in place, which ensures that defendants have the best chance of a successful outcome.