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Philadelphia Negligent Security Lawyer

According to the City of Philadelphia Office of the Controller, at least 1,291 nonfatal injuries and 375 fatalities in our city resulted from gun violence in 2023. These aren’t the only crimes that occurred that year or since then, though. Sexual assaults, stabbings, assaults, and other types of criminal activity leave victims with preventable injuries or dead.

Most of us have heard of the concept of the “crime of opportunity,” and that can explain why many of the life-altering injuries and wrongful deaths occurred. Had the premises been safer, a would-be criminal wouldn’t have felt that they could get by with committing a crime without potentially being caught, and you wouldn’t likely be reading this today. However, someone else made a choice to make their premises as secure as they could have been, and now you or a close family member is hurt or deceased.

Property owners have a responsibility to keep their premises reasonably safe. If their failure to do so led to you or someone close to you suffering harm, our legal team at Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan wants you to know that you may meet the requirements to file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. We want to learn more about your case and provide you with guidance specific to it, so reach out to us to schedule a complimentary one-on-one meeting with a Philadelphia negligent security lawyer in our office today.

Understanding What Negligent Security Is

Sometimes referred to as inadequate security, this practice area is a subcategory of premises liability law. Earlier we mentioned that property owners have a responsibility to take reasonable measures to ensure their premises are safe. This includes preventing foreseeable hazards by conducting safety assessments, performing regular maintenance, and keeping tabs on their security staff, before they endanger anyone’s health and safety.

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Common Causes of Unsecured Premises

Crimes of opportunity happen for a number of reasons, including:

  • Failing to train and supervise security guards to ensure they know how to keep premises safe and diffuse any potential conflicts before they escalate
  • The non-existence of or existence of improperly working or broken surveillance cameras, gates, alarms, locks, emergency exits, and lights
  • Insufficient screening of residents, vendors, workers, and visitors by property management or security personnel
  • Failures to respond to upticks in crime on the premises or in the community by enhancing safety protocol

Whether you believe one of the factors listed above or some other security flaw caused you or a loved one harm, we want to speak with you. Our attorneys offer free consultations to individuals like yourself who have been harmed due to no fault of their own. So, contact us today to discuss what happened to you and whether you meet the requirements to file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.

Incidents Associated With Ineffective or Inadequate Security

A lot can happen because no security protocols or personnel are in place or if they’re lax. Some common cases our attorneys have handled over the years that we’ve been able to attribute to negligent security include:

Inadequate security
Negligent security lawyer in Philadelphia

Injuries Victims Suffer When Premises Aren't Properly Secured

The clients we have experience helping often come to us after having suffered varying injuries or being diagnosed with certain illnesses, such as:

Surviving family members often come to us looking for help after their loved one has unfortunately not survived after being assaulted or otherwise falling victim to a crime as well.

Whatever your injuries or if you’ve had the misfortune of losing a loved one, we want to speak with you. Your initial consultation with us is always free, so contact us for a confidential conversation now.

  • $7.5 Million

    Against a correctional facility for negligently supervising a guard that physically and sexually abused an inmate in their care

  • $750,000

    Against a psychiatric hospital for their failure to prevent a woman in their care from being sexually assaulted.

  • $3 Million

    Against a University for Child Sexual Abuse

  • $2 Million

    Against a religious organization because of their negligent supervision of a pedophile priest who sexually abused a child

  • $1 Million

    Against child protective services for their failures in preventing the sexual abuse of a child within their care and custody

  • Six Figure Recovery

    Against an all girls religious high school for negligent supervision of a teacher who engaged in sexual conduct with a student on school property

  • Six Figure Recovery

    Against an all girls religious high school for negligent supervision of a teacher who engaged in sexual conduct with a student on school property

Common Defendants in Negligent Security Cases

While businesses generally aren’t responsible for crimes that occur on their premises, Pennsylvania law does allow victims to sue companies and their ownership if they can show that they failed to uphold their duty of care to protect the safety of their guests and invitees. As such, we have a strong track record of holding the following parties responsible for their role in causing our clients’ injuries or wrongful deaths over the years:

  • Residential and commercial landlords, including owners of apartment units
  • Property management companies
  • Parking lot and garage owners and operators
  • Motels and hotels
  • Security guards and their employers
  • Bars and restaurants
  • Parks
  • Stores and malls
  • Academic institutions

Proving Liability in Your Case

The onus falls on you as someone harmed by negligent or inadequate security to prove your case. The following elements of negligence that apply to other premises liability cases like this also apply to ones like yours:

  • The property where you suffered harm owed you a duty of care
  • That prospective defendant breached the duty of care they owed you
  • You suffered harm because that person or entity violated the duty of care they had a responsibility to uphold
  • There are damages you’ve incurred (i.e., financial-oriented) because you suffered harm

Sorting out whether you have a viable case can be challenging, which is why we strongly encourage you to reach out to us at Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan to discuss your legal matter so we can discuss options you have for seeking justice. There’s no cost associated with us discussing your rights with you.

Damages Recoverable in Cases Where Ineffective Security Is To Blame

Individuals harmed in preventable injury cases like these are generally entitled to similar types of compensation, which may include:

  • Medical costs
  • Lost pay
  • Noneconomic damages like pain and suffering, emotional distress, or loss of enjoyment of life
  • Funeral and burial costs

Punitive damages may also be available in cases where defendants were particularly negligent in protecting the safety of others.

How Do Negligent Security Attorneys in Philadelphia Assist Injury Victims

Here’s how we help you, from the time of your initial case review with our negligent security lawyers until your case’s conclusion:

  • Our work together begins with a no-risk, no-obligation free consultation where one of our attorneys will review your case and determine if you have a viable claim
  • Should you hire us, we’ll get to work on securing evidence of negligence necessary to prove a defendant’s liability for what happened
  • We will handle all conversations with insurance adjusters and anyone else who may reach out to you about your case on your behalf
  • As you’re wrapping up treatment for your injuries, we’ll begin securing any remaining medical records and bills, lost wage statements, journal entries, and any other documentation that substantiates your economic and non-economic losses
  • We’ll draft a demand letter outlining your injury incident and your damage and demand a fair and just settlement that is representative of what you’ve been through to send to any responsible parties’ insurers
  • If the other party denies liability or offers a low-ball settlement offer, we’ll prepare your case for trial, if necessary, so you have every possible opportunity to secure maximum compensation in your case

It’s important to note that each client’s case is different. You can expect the lawyer you meet with during your initial consultation to let you know how to expect your case to proceed, as well as if anything changes along the way during their representation of you.

“Negligent security is a complex area of the law, and complicated. Our clients come to expect a high level of representation. We try to deliver on our promises, because it’s what our clients deserve.”

Guy D’Andrea, Esq.

Get in Contact With a Negligent Security Lawyer in Philadelphia To Discuss Your Case

When searching for legal counsel here in Philly, the search can be a bit overwhelming due to the extreme number of attorneys in our area. If we can provide you with one piece of guidance, though, it’s not to entrust your case to just anyone, but instead to a Philadelphia negligent security lawyer who has an extensive track record not only of handling similar cases but who has also won top-dollar settlements for our clients.

While we can’t guarantee outcomes in the cases we take on, we can promise to be a strong, compassionate advocate for you when we do agree to represent you. We are committed and focused on fighting for you from the moment we take your case on until we hopefully secure a settlement on your behalf. So, if you’re looking for attentive support and someone to fight alongside you for justice from start to finish, you’ve met your match at Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan. Contact us online or by phone to schedule your free initial case review with our legal team, as time is of the essence.

Negligent Security Injury Cases

Crimes such as break-ins and robberies are an everyday fact of life, especially in big cities such as Philadelphia. Such crimes can happen in apartment complexes, residences, residential high-rises, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, parking lots, college dorms, and college housing-anywhere.

Negligent security cases usually occur as a result of:

  • Known or anticipated criminal behavior
  • Faulty door looks/systems
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Security failures
  • Employee crime

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