Injured Because a Property Owner Failed to Provide Reasonable Security?
Property owners, landlords, hotels, stores, apartment buildings, bars, restaurants, and other businesses have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect residents, guests, customers, and visitors from foreseeable harm.
Berkowitz & Weitz Law represents crime victims throughout New York in claims involving lack of security, inadequate lighting, broken locks, unsafe entrances, negligent security staffing, assaults, robberies, and other preventable violent incidents.
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Tell us what happened. Our attorneys review negligent security and crime victim injury claims throughout New York.
Injured Because A Property Owner Failed To Provide Reasonable Security?
A negligent security claim may arise when a person is assaulted, robbed, attacked, or otherwise harmed because a property owner failed to take reasonable safety measures. These cases often involve unsafe entrances, broken locks, poor lighting, inadequate staffing, unsecured hallways, malfunctioning security systems, or a failure to respond to prior incidents of violence.
Property owners are not automatically responsible for every crime that occurs on their premises. However, when violence was reasonably foreseeable and the owner failed to provide basic security, victims may have the right to pursue compensation for their injuries, trauma, medical expenses, lost income, and other losses.
Representation For Crime Victims Injured On Unsafe Property
Lack of security cases can arise in many different locations where property owners fail to protect visitors, residents, guests, or customers from foreseeable criminal activity.
Common Security Failures That Lead To Injury
Negligent security cases often involve a pattern of safety failures. A landlord may ignore broken locks. A hotel may fail to monitor entrances. A store may leave parking areas poorly lit. A bar may hire untrained security staff or fail to remove dangerous patrons before violence occurs.
Our attorneys investigate whether the property owner, business, landlord, security company, or manager failed to take reasonable precautions to prevent foreseeable harm.
- Poor or inadequate lighting
- Broken doors, locks, gates, or windows
- Unsecured entrances, exits, hallways, and stairwells
- Failure to maintain cameras, alarms, or access systems
- Negligent hiring or training of security personnel
- Failure to respond to prior assaults, robberies, or complaints
How We Build A Negligent Security Case
These cases require more than proving that a crime occurred. A successful claim often depends on showing that the danger was foreseeable, the property owner knew or should have known about the risk, and reasonable security measures could have helped prevent the harm.
Berkowitz & Weitz Law investigates the property, prior incident history, police records, maintenance records, security staffing, surveillance footage, lighting conditions, access controls, and other evidence needed to pursue accountability.
- Police and incident report review
- Prior crime and complaint investigation
- Security camera and alarm system analysis
- Lighting, access, and lock inspection
- Witness statements and property records
- Trial-ready case preparation
Compensation Available In Negligent Security Claims
Victims may be entitled to compensation for the physical, emotional, financial, and long-term impact of an assault or violent crime caused by negligent security.
Medical Expenses
Emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, medication, rehabilitation, physical therapy, counseling, and ongoing medical care related to your injuries.
Lost Income
Compensation for missed work, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and the financial impact an assault or violent crime can have on your livelihood.
Pain & Suffering
Damages for physical pain, permanent injuries, disability, disfigurement, and the effect your injuries have on your daily life and future well-being.
Emotional Distress
Compensation for anxiety, depression, PTSD, fear, emotional trauma, loss of security, and other psychological effects following a violent incident.
Future Care
Ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation, counseling, assistive care, and other long-term recovery needs that may continue long after the initial injury.
Wrongful Death
Families may be entitled to compensation for funeral expenses, lost financial support, and the devastating consequences of a fatal assault or violent crime.
Negligent Security & Crime Victim Resources
Learn more about legal options after assaults, unsafe property conditions, violent attacks, and preventable crimes caused by inadequate security.
Assault & Battery Attorneys
Legal representation for victims injured in assaults, battery, bouncer incidents, and violent attacks.
Bar & Nightclub Assaults
Claims involving unsafe bars, restaurants, clubs, security staff, and violent patrons.
Premises Liability Claims
Unsafe property claims involving negligent maintenance, poor lighting, security failures, and serious injury.
Brain Injury Attorneys
Representation for victims suffering concussions, head trauma, cognitive changes, and serious brain injuries.
Wrongful Death Claims
Helping families pursue accountability after fatal assaults, crimes, or negligent security failures.
Personal Injury Attorneys
Representation for victims injured by negligence, unsafe property, violence, or misconduct throughout New York.
Talk With a New York Negligent Security Lawyer Today
If you or a loved one was assaulted, robbed, attacked, or seriously injured because a property owner failed to provide reasonable security, Berkowitz & Weitz Law can review your case and explain your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is negligent security?
Negligent security occurs when a property owner fails to take reasonable safety measures to protect residents, guests, customers, or visitors from foreseeable criminal activity.
Can I sue a property owner after an assault?
Possibly. If the assault was foreseeable and the property owner failed to provide reasonable security, you may have a civil claim against the owner, landlord, business, or another responsible party.
What types of security failures can support a claim?
Common examples include poor lighting, broken locks, unsecured entrances, lack of cameras, negligent security staffing, failure to respond to prior complaints, or failure to remove dangerous individuals.
Do I need a criminal conviction to file a negligent security lawsuit?
No. A civil negligent security claim is separate from a criminal case. You may still have a claim even if the attacker was never arrested, charged, or convicted.
What compensation can crime victims recover?
Compensation may include medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, emotional distress, future treatment, reduced earning capacity, and wrongful death damages in fatal cases.
How much does it cost to hire Berkowitz & Weitz Law?
Berkowitz & Weitz Law handles negligent security and crime victim injury cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney’s fees unless compensation is recovered for you.