When Inadequate Security Results in Injuries

Inadequate Security in mall

Can you hold a business owner liable if you are injured on their premises because they failed to provide appropriate security measures? It is possible and would usually be considered a negligent or inadequate security premises liability claim. Under premises liability, business owners must provide reasonably safe conditions for visitors.

What Are Examples of Inadequate Security?

Inadequate, or negligent, security can involve:

  • Lighting in and around the business and/or the schedule for turning lights on and off
  • Failure to provide locks on doors and other entranceways
  • Failure to keep foliage trimmed
  • Inadequate parking lot surveillance
  • Inadequate protection or lighting in stairwells
  • The presence (or lack of) warning signs
  • The frequency of patrols
  • Training for security staff
  • Policies for how money is handled
  • Failure to conduct background checks on a security guard with a questionable or criminal record

business owner, premises, inadequate lighting, inadequate security, appropriate security measures
We expect to be safe when visiting a business and business owners are expected to, if not eliminate, minimize hazards that can cause injury. This includes having the appropriate security measures in place to ensure you are not at risk of being injured or assaulted.

Injuries caused by inadequate security conditions happen everywhere, at shopping malls/retail stores, hospitals, banks and ATMs, nightclubs and bars, bus and train stations, convenience stores, restaurants, hotels and apartment buildings and many other public places.


After a Negligent Inadequate Security Incident

The first step should always be to obtain medical treatment.

Details of the incident.

  • Write down details of the incident – the time it occurred, where it occurred, what happened, a description of the perpetrator, anything you or they said, witness information
  • Take pictures and/or video of the scene. Be sure to include the lighting, signage, locks, and other conditions that might be related
  • Your clothing and personal items may be evidence so be sure to keep them unaltered

Report the incident.

  • Immediately contact the police/law enforcement. The sooner this is done, the better so that evidence can be collected and a formal report of the event is created.
  • Law enforcement should also notify the owner of the premises.

Medical Treatment

  • Make sure your injuries are taken care of.
  • Medical records provide reliable documentation of injuries

Do not provide a recorded (or any) statement to insurance companies without talking to your lawyer first.


Speak With One of Our Premises Liability Lawyers Today

An experienced personal injury lawyer familiar with fall claims and premises liability laws can help you. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced lawyers, today.

Contact us at (877) 284-6600.


Premises Liability

premises liability claim
Premises liability laws require property owners to be responsible for protecting visitors from harm and that can also include criminal activity.

In Missouri, premises liability claims are civil lawsuits that may be filed to hold negligent property owners accountable for injuries that occurred on their premises. It must be clear, however, that negligence was a factor in order to hold a property owner accountable for an injury accident.

Premises liability laws can be complex; however, our attorneys know these laws and will help determine who had the “duty of care” to provide security. For that, we will look at things such as:

  • the nature of the business (some businesses require more security measures than others)
  • the crime statistics and location of the incident
  • whether the owner failed to fix a problem (i.e., add better lighting) that could have prevented the incident

Inadequate security can lead to unsafe conditions. Unsafe conditions created by negligence may justify taking strong legal action.


HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?

RECEIVE A FREE EVALUATION FROM EXPERIENCED PREMISES LIABILITY ATTORNEYS

attorney lawyer liable liability premises liability claimWhile cases involving inadequate or negligent security can be difficult to prove, the experienced Kansas City premises liability attorneys at Nash & Franciskato know what to look for and how to prove unsafe conditions.

Call the Kansas City-based law firm of Nash & Franciskato at (877) 284-6600. One of our experienced staff will speak with you personally and will provide you with a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

SCHEDULE YOUR FREE CASE REVIEW TODAY

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Past results afford no guarantee of future results and each case is different and is judged on its own merits. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published August 10, 2020. It was reviewed on July 18, 2024 for content and accuracy and republished on July 19, 2024.

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