South Carolina Negligent Security Lawyer
When you visit a shopping mall, sporting event, nightclub, business, or other commercial property, you deserve to be reasonably safe. Unfortunately, every year people are injured and killed while at these establishments due to negligent security practices. We fight to hold negligent parties accountable for not utilizing reasonable security measures to protect patrons and visitors.
If a company or property owner fails to take adequate steps to protect your safety, and you suffer a critical injury (or a loved one dies), you could be entitled to monetary compensation to help cover healthcare costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
At Mickelsen Dalton LLC, we handle only the most severe, challenging negligent security cases, and we do not back down when faced with strong opposition. If all parties cannot agree to a fair out-of-court settlement, our South Carolina negligent security lawyers will not hesitate to take a case to trial to fight for justice and the maximum compensation possible.
Why Hire Mickelsen Dalton LLC for a Negligent Security Claim
Almost all personal injury cases hinge on evidence. Our firm has the necessary resources to assist in building the most compelling case against the perpetrator. We’ll hire the greatest specialists and investigators we can find.
Because we understand what is at stake—your life—we have a team of attorneys and legal staff that work hard on each case. Every case will be prepared as if it is going to trial, giving us an advantage and increasing the value of your case.
Mickelsen Dalton’s high-stakes, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury cases in South Carolina are handled by a team of trusted attorneys. They are knowledgeable about the law and are capable of handling any personal injury case. Mickelsen Dalton’s personal injury lawyers are ready to fight no matter how big the insurance company, corporation, or government agency is—we are here to be advocates for our clients.
Why Do I Need a Negligent Security Lawyer?
Negligent security cases are costly, time-consuming, and very challenging to prove. Whether a business hired enough security guards, installed adequate lighting, maintained functioning security cameras, and so on are typical questions for a jury. In some instances, whether a business’ security measures are adequate and reasonable require expert testimony.
It will be critical to determine whether previous acts of violence occurred at the same location and whether owners or occupiers took action to prevent future occurrences of violence and injury, including whether security procedures were changed or increased. Often, there will be a history of similar past violence at a location with little or no security changes being made, which will tend to implicate liability for an owner and/or lessee.
Our firm represents crime victims throughout South Carolina, Georgia, and beyond. We are prepared to invest the time, effort, and money to investigate your case, gather evidence, hire experts, and prepare for trial. If you or a loved one suffered an injury due to negligent security, it is critical to have an experienced South Carolina premises liability attorney by your side.
Sexual Assault, Shootings, Stabbings & Attacks
Negligent security is a type of action that can be brought under premises liability law to hold property owners and occupiers liable for injuries and financial damages that visitors or customers incur due to negligence. Business owners and private individuals have a duty to take action to ensure a safe environment for anyone frequenting their property.
Unfortunately, negligent security can lead to severe and violent crimes (including sexual assaults, shootings, stabbings, and battery) and permanent injuries (such as traumatic brain injuries, paraplegia, quadriplegia, spinal cord injuries, amputations, internal organ damage, other permanent disabilities). The consequences for a victim can also lead to lifelong emotional and physical suffering, and in some cases, death.
The Duty to Provide a Safe Environment and Negligent Security
From adequate lighting, security cameras, and building locks to security guards and bouncers, security is almost always around us, whether we are aware of it or not. Security is an essential part of conducting business for many companies, but all too often appropriate security is not provided. Unfortunately, some businesses’ focus puts profits over safety.
What Is Considered Negligent Security?
For example, patrons at stores and commercial establishments may be the victims of parking lot physical or sexual assault. An apartment complex may not have an adequate security system so that those who are not residents can easily enter the premises. A nightclub may not employ trained staff who know how to keep out those who may be armed, and who do not know about the precautions that should be taken to avoid shooting. In these instances, the owners and occupiers of such establishments may be liable for the injuries and death that occur due to their failure to provide adequate security.
The following are just a few examples of negligent security:
- Broken security cameras
- Blocked emergency exits
- Untrained or inattentive security guards
- Improper staffing levels
- Inadequate lighting
- Failure to screen for weapons
Common Locations in which Negligent Security Can Occur
Negligent security can occur in a variety of locations, including but not limited to:
- Grocery stores
- Parking garages
- Parking lots
- Office buildings
- Stairwells
- Apartment buildings
- Amusement parks
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Nursing homes
- Airports
- Sporting events
- Concerts
- Theatres
- Festivals
- Bars
- Restaurants
- Clubs
- Motels
- Hotels
- Convenience Stores
- Gas Stations
- Government facilities
As experienced negligent security lawyers, we advocate on behalf of victims. If you were injured or a loved one died because of inadequate security, call our office to learn about your options for seeking to hold all responsible parties accountable.
How to Prove a Negligent Security
The security standards for each property are different. In a nightclub, for example, security guards may be extremely vital to maintain patrons’ safety. When it comes to keeping its customers secure, a local retail store, on the other hand, may have completely different needs.
Customers and visitors are the responsibility of private property owners and companies. However, determining whether you have a claim after being the victim of a crime can be difficult. You’ll have to show that:
- The business or owner owed you a duty of care.
- The owner of the property breached that duty of care when it failed to provide or install adequate security
- You sustained injuries as well as financial losses.
- The losses are caused immediately by a lack of security.
Any form of security that an owner failed to provide can be a reason to bring a negligent security claim. Even if it is something as small as forgetting to install a light or replace a light bulb, and because of the inadequate lighting you were the victim of a violent crime—the property owner would be liable for your injuries.
What Role Do Insurance Companies Play in Negligent Security Cases?
Most commercial establishments and governmental entities will carry significant insurance to protect their interests in the event of a lawsuit. Under the policies, these insurance companies will typically take an active role in defending their insured, as usually, the policies of insurance require them to pay the cost of defense (at least up to policy limits).
Defendants and their insurance companies will do everything in their power to avoid financial liability. Typically, they will argue that they should not have liability, as it should be solely the fault of a shooter or assailant for the injuries or death that resulted. Our role is to prove why this is not the case; often through a combination of:
- Showing past shootings or assaults at the location
- Determining that reasonable security measures were not developed for protecting the public at the establishment
- Showing that an establishment developed a level of reasonable security measures, and then failed to follow their own measures
- Showing that security personal were either not trained at all, or not trained sufficiently for the job required
- Using experts to discuss “best practices” for similar establishments, and how the establishment being sued failed to implement such best practices
- Finding a breakdown of equipment (such as video or parking lot lighting) or of security guards not properly doing their job (such as texting instead of monitoring security cameras)
Who May Be Responsible for Negligent Security?
At Mickelsen Dalton LLC, we seek to hold all responsible parties accountable for attacks, sexual assaults, shootings, wrongful deaths, and other serious injuries. Beyond those perpetrating violence, others who may be liable include:
- Individuals responsible for ensuring safety
- Establishment owners and lessees
- Security companies who may be contracted by establishments
- Government entities and agencies
What Types of Negligent Security Injury Cases Does Mickelsen Dalton LLC Handle?
We accept challenging cases involving complex investigations, extensive preparation, and exhaustive negotiations — this is our primary focus. We only represent victims in cases involving severe injuries and fatalities, including injuries such as:
- Traumatic brain injury (“TBI”)
- Gunshot wounds
- Stabbings
- Internal organ damage
- Paralysis
- Amputations
- Sexual assault
- Assaults
- Another serious injury
Call Our Office Today to Schedule a Free Case Evaluation
We represent severely injured victims on contingency. This means we only collect a fee if you recover compensation, and our fee is based upon a percentage of the compensation collected. Further, we advance all litigation expenses while a case is ongoing (typically fully covered by a jury award or settlement).
If you were injured or a loved one died on someone else’s property due to negligent security, we encourage you to call our South Carolina personal injury lawyers to schedule a free case evaluation. We can listen to the facts of your case, explain your legal options, and fight tenaciously for full compensation.
We recognize that any injury can be devastating to the person and their family. Mickelsen Dalton’s negligent security attorneys will handle your matter with the utmost care and confidence.
Contact our attorneys today at (843) 804-0428 (South Carolina) or (678) 641-9054 (Georgia) or help@mickelsendalton.com if you or a loved one has been hurt as a result of someone else’s negligent security. You can also reach out to us through our website’s online communication method. We are available seven days a week, 24 hours a day.