Los Angeles Negligent Security Lawyer
Los Angeles Negligent Security Attorney
Being a victim of a crime due to inadequate security can change your life. You should refrain from letting a property owner get away with failing to protect you on their property. In California, you can sue for negligent security when you can prove the essential aspects of a negligence claim. A Los Angeles negligent security lawyer can help you pursue compensation for what you’ve endured.
Duty of Care to Protect You
Property owners are legally responsible for providing a safe environment for people who visit their premises. This duty covers most commercial properties, including shopping malls, apartment complexes, parking lots, hotels, and more. The specific security measures needed can vary but overall, the owner must create an area that protects people from any crimes that are likely to occur.
For instance, a high-end jewelry store in a high-crime area would have a higher duty of care than would be necessary at a small neighborhood bookstore. As a responsible owner, there is an expectation to anticipate potential risks associated with a property and take reasonable steps to mitigate all risks.
Breach of Duty of Care
Failure to provide suitable security can lead to severe issues. As long as suitable evidence exists, proving that a property owner breached their duty of care can be done in many ways. This failure can take many forms, like a lack of security guards in high-risk areas.
Establishments with high foot traffic, especially during peak hours, may require security guards to deter crime and provide proper crowd management. The same can apply to establishments deep in the nighttime. Places like shopping malls should have a security presence at all times to deter theft and vandalism. When they do not, this can be a breach of their duty of care.
Breaches of duty of care are not only related to inadequate personnel. Having inoperable security devices can be a breach, especially when the owner understands that the devices do not work.
Because of premises liability law, property owners should always know their duty of care to their patrons. If they willfully ignore what they owe to people, they are capitalizing on the benefits without protecting the individuals who provide their patronage.
The Breach Caused Your Injuries
Often seen as the most challenging step in suing for negligent security, a requirement exists for you to prove that the property owner’s negligence was a substantial factor in causing your injuries. This can be complicated because you must argue that the crime would not have occurred if there had been adequate security. You must establish a clear connection between the property owner’s lack of adequate protection and the crime enacted on you.
Additionally, you can argue that the owner should have seen the crime that you experienced as a foreseeable consequence of their failure to provide security measures. Although proving these elements can be complex, it is possible and essential.
You Suffered Damages
After proving causation, it is vital to detail the damages incurred because of the crime. Possible damages in Los Angeles can include various elements like medical expenses from injury treatments, lost wages after missing work, physical and emotional pain and suffering, property damage, or loss of consortium.
An Analysis of Your Case
Our team can thoroughly investigate to find evidence that strengthens your case. This may include:
- Camera footage. Security cameras are essential in matters of negligent security. Therefore, we can request that the property owner or law enforcement give us the footage showing the event. This is crucial when we discover that there were no safety measures in place at the time of the event. Occasionally, footage can include video from businesses next door or public transportation vehicles.
- Securing police reports and witness statements. Records prepared by police officers can outline what happened at a crime scene, along with witness accounts and observations. These findings can be helpful because they provide firsthand information about what happened. This information can give insight into how secure the premises were before and during your incident.
- Gathering maintenance records. It is possible that maintenance records can reveal whether the cameras or other devices were maintained by their owners. For this reason, we can find these records and extract details about service delays and instances of ignored repairs.
Negligent Security Lawyer FAQs
Q: What Is the Negligent Security Law in California?
A: Negligent security law in California deals with criminal conduct committed by a third party on a business owner’s property. In these situations, the law can hold the business owner liable for the crimes committed by other people when they fail to use reasonable care to protect people from criminal conduct or anticipate that criminal acts are possible.
Q: What Are the Damages for Negligence in California?
A: If you can prove that negligent security caused your injuries, the damages you can seek can include economic and noneconomic damages. In some cases, punitive damages may also apply. Economic damages include lost wages, medical expenses, and property damage. Noneconomic damages are intangible costs, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Punitive damages exist to punish the offender and incentivize them against similar acts in the future.
Q: What Constitutes Negligence in California?
A: In negligent security cases, negligence exists if property owners:
- Lack of appropriately trained security personnel.
- Fail to provide adequate security to prohibit foreseeable risks.
- Do not maintain or fix existing safety measures.
- Ignore prior incidents of crime that could prompt security improvements.
If you are unsure whether your case involved negligence, consulting a personal injury attorney can clarify the situation.
Q: Can You Get Punitive Damages for Negligence in California?
A: In some cases, you can get punitive damages for negligence in California. Courts award punitive damages to punish property owners for egregious conduct and deter similar behavior in the future. However, the standard for reaching punitive damages is high. Having an attorney assess your case and determine if punitive damages are possible is necessary when dealing with a negligent security case. We can investigate your case and gather evidence to advocate for punitive damages.
Help After a Negligent Security Incident in Los Angeles
We recognize how difficult it is for our clients who bear financial and physical hardships. Our consultation is available on request. You can open up about your case and get advice on how to move forward. In our discussion, you can tell us your story, ask us questions, and we can take you through the entire legal process in detail. Do not wait to be given justice. Contact Easton & Easton, LLP, and schedule a consultation with our firm.
Your Story Is Important To Us.
CALL US SO WE CAN HEAR IT.
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Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been chosen as one of the "10 Best" Personal Injury Attorneys in Southern California each year since 2015 based on client satisfaction, an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys - and Easton & Easton houses three of them.
Brian Easton was selected to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2015. ABOTA is one of the most premier associations of trial attorneys and judges, requiring a certain number of jury trials as lead counsel and approval by a majority vote of the ABOTA board.
Matt Easton has been selected each year since 2014 as one of the Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40 for California by The National Trial Lawyers — an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.
Both Doug and Matt Easton have been selected as Top Personal Injury Attorneys by Avvo with scores of 10 out of 10 based on their skill, experience, results, peer evaluations, and client reviews.
Matt Easton has been selected as one of the Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys Under 40 in California for 2015 by the National Association of Personal Injury Attorneys — an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys under the age of 40.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been selected by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel among the Nation's Top One Percent of Attorneys each year since 2017.
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My experience with Easton & Easton has been amazing! Gabriel Mendoza and my case manager Katie have been so helpful and taken so much stress off my plate. They’ve been super informative and honest and given me very clear expectations. They’ve taken such a terrible experience (my accident) and eased my mind about the outcome. I can’t thank them enough!! Read more…
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I can’t say enough amazing things about my experience with Travis Easton at Easton & Easton. Travis and his entire team (Katie, Amy, Dee, Michelle, & Araceli) are phenomenal. It provided me a lot of comfort to know I was being so well taken care of. I was especially impressed that every document for the case was perfectly written and specific to me. Nothing was generic, which shows the level of care and attention they put into each individual case. I had such a great experience and would highly recommend Travis Easton and his firm to anyone going through a personal injury. Travis took a bad situation and made the best of it for me. Thank you again, I’m forever grateful!!
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I was in a pretty bad car accident and decided to have Easton & Easton represent me, Travis Easton to be specific. Travis Easton and his paralegal made the whole process effortless. They were so understanding and helpful! The entire thing was a gigantic mess, yet Travis managed to make it run like clockwork. I would HIGHLY recommend Easton & Easton! If you are ever in need of a personal defense attorney Easton & Easton is the firm to represent you!
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My life changed in a matter of seconds after a catastrophic spinal cord injury that left me disabled. Brian Easton and his team worked on my case non stop for 3 years and provided me the justice I deserved. I couldn’t have been more content.
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My sincere thanks to Brian, Matt, Travis, Doug, Gabriel and Amera. They are what they are because of their dedication to provide high quality and professional service to their clients.
Brian Easton and his team, Gabe Mendoza and Amera Hajali, helped me during a very difficult time in my life. I had a significant injury from a car accident, and wound up seeking out Easton & Easton when I was having difficulties getting help from my doctors. The Easton team took a lot of stress off of me while acting as my advocates to help me get the care I needed, and saw my case all the way through to a healthy settlement.
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The best Law firm by far. I would highly recommend Easton & Easton, LLP and ask for Gabriel Mendoza and staff. He and his colleagues did and exceptional service. Thank you for everything. Job well done!
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