Negligent Security Lawyers in Delaware

Helping Injury Victims Take Their Lives Back

When personal injury attorneys discuss negligence claims, the discussions often don’t involve major criminal activity. After all, running a stop sign isn’t a serious crime — but it could easily cause a significant injury. Unfortunately, some personal injury cases do stem from violent criminal acts. This is often the case when someone is injured on a property that’s missing important security features. In such instances, a negligent security lawyer in Delaware may be able to help.

At Schwartz & Schwartz, Attorneys at Law, we love serving Delaware and states throughout the region. We wouldn’t leave for the world. Unfortunately, we also know that our home has one of the highest violent crime rates in the nation. Such a crime can happen anywhere and at any time, but business owners and other property owners create a specific danger when they don’t provide adequate security measures. Contact our Delaware personal injury law firm today to learn if you may have a case.

What Is a Negligent Security Issue?

“Negligent security” injuries fall under premises liability laws. Property owners have a duty to provide a safe area for individuals invited to their premises. This is true for homeowners and business owners, but the latter are the ones most involved in negligent security claims. That’s because there are many lawful visitors to a business during any day, and without appropriate security measures, the danger of crime is ever-present.

If you were injured in a crime committed on business, government or other public property, a Delaware negligent security lawyer may be able to help. That’s because the commission of crimes by third parties is a foreseeable danger in certain areas. For instance, any convenience store owner understands that there’s a risk of robbery or violent assaults in their parking lot. Because of this, they have a duty to take proactive steps to eliminate or reduce such risks.

Where Can a Lack of Security Features Be Dangerous?

Most homeowners do not expect crimes to occur on their properties. This is why you won’t see many lawsuits involving negligent security against average citizens. The simple fact is that crimes in the home aren’t as foreseeable as those in public spaces. Unfortunately, inadequate security can present significant dangers for visitors of many different property types. Whenever businesses invite individuals to spend money at their establishments, they have a duty of care.

Such duties typically exist on the following properties, among others:

• Shopping malls
• Apartment complexes
• Retail stores
• Schools
• Hotels
• Parking garages
• Hospitals and rehab facilities
• Professional offices
• Any other type of business

It’s an unfortunate fact, but crimes committed in public are not rare occurrences. Property owners who welcome the public to their premises know this to be true, and that’s exactly why they owe a duty of care. While the criminal who harmed you no doubt holds the lion’s share of liability — and can be held accountable in criminal and civil court for that — there’s no denying that negligent property owners put the public at risk when they fail to provide adequate security.

What Types of Safety Precautions Are Appropriate?

When you visit a public area, you may not even realize how many security measures are taken. In many cases, this means property owners are doing their jobs right. When you go to a store and make it home safely, you have no reason to wonder whether there were security cameras on site. Just because we often don’t notice them, however, doesn’t mean such safety measures shouldn’t be present.

When our Delaware negligent security lawyers investigate a potential case, they always try to find out if the following safety standards were available:

• Security cameras
• Adequate lighting
• Security guards
• Defensible space (i.e., creating an environment where citizens will avoid dangers — such as having a barrier in front of a crime-ridden alley)
• Locked exterior doors
• Panic buttons
• Signs warning criminals of security

Each of these security measures increases safety for citizens and reduces the likelihood of crime. For instance, robbery suspects are likely to think twice if they see a well-lit grocery store parking lot with several cameras around the property. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking that the existence of any one of these safety features means negligence didn’t occur. Discuss your injury with a negligent security lawyer in Delaware to get a more thorough understanding of your rights.

Why Are Negligent Security Issues So Dangerous?

Failure to provide adequate security is certainly improper, but does it really rise to the level of negligence? Can it be proven that the presence of a certain safety measure could’ve prevented a crime? First, it’s important to realize that prevention isn’t a necessary standard to meet. A crime can happen even if every possible effort is made to maintain safety. These measures can’t prevent all crimes, but their goal is to make such crimes less likely.

What are the biggest threats facing Delaware citizens on properties with inadequate security? They include:

• Physical assaults and battery
• Carjackings
• Kidnappings
• Rape and sexual assaults
• Stabbings
• Shootings and robberies
• Any crime causing injuries or wrongful death

As experienced negligent security lawyers in Delaware, we’ve seen these crimes affect the innocent when proper safety measures aren’t taken. Unfortunately, this isn’t just a theory. Research consistently shows that security cameras, defensible space, adequate lighting, and other safety measures reduce criminal activity. You have a right to occupy public spaces without being harmed. When a property owner’s negligence puts this right at risk, they should be held financially accountable.

Contact Our Negligent Security Lawyers in Delaware For Help

When someone is injured or killed due to a lack of security measures, understanding how to move forward may be difficult. Many people our Delaware premises liability attorneys speak with don’t even realize they may be entitled to compensation. Even though a criminal may have been the direct cause of your injuries, it doesn’t mean they’re the only ones liable. When property owners fail to protect individuals on their premises, it’s important that they face the consequences of endangering the public.

At Schwartz & Schwartz, Attorneys at Law, we’ve spent years helping our clients seek maximum compensation for premises liability cases. While suffering any injury is an unfortunate occurrence, it becomes particularly disheartening when a property owner’s negligence or lack of care leads to such incidents. Contact us today by calling (302) 678-8700. Our negligent security lawyers in Delaware are ready to review your case and help you move forward in seeking justice.