Property owners have an obligation to keep people visiting their property safe. Retail business owners, property managers, landlords, and property owners all have an obligation to ensure that their premises are safe. In fact, many business owners and property owners advertise their security systems and the safety of their premises to customers, patrons, and visitors. A condo building, for example, may promise the latest in security devices and measures. Many businesses charge extra for safety features.
Unfortunately, not all business owners live up to their promises in terms of adequate safety and security. Whether businesses promise safety and security overtly or not, they all have an obligation to ensure that their properties are safe. When owners and property managers are negligent in providing basic safety and adequate safety measures, they can be held liable if someone is injured on the property.
Inadequate security cases arise quite often when someone is assaulted, sexually assaulted, mugged, or otherwise harmed on a property due to inadequate security. In these cases, serious personal injury as well as emotional trauma can result. Even if the perpetrator is never caught, property owners can be held liable if it is shown that they are negligent in providing a reasonable amount or an appropriate amount of safety measures.
If you have been injured, assaulted, or otherwise harmed on a property, you may wonder whether you have an inadequate security case. There are generally three factors that determine whether you have a case. If these three factors are present, you may be eligible under Florida law to seek redress for your injuries:
1) The property owner failed to meet a legal duty that he was obliged to provide. That is, you may have a case if the property owner was negligent in providing adequate security measures. If there was inadequate lighting, inadequate warnings about potentially dangerous situations, or if there were other safety concerns that might have contributed partly or directly to your injury, you may have a case.
2) The property owner’s negligence resulted in your injuries. You may have an inadequate security case if the actions of the property owner resulted in your injury. For example, if a property owner did not install adequate lighting in an underground garage and you were robbed in the underground parking garage because you could not see your attacker ahead of time in order to escape, you may have a case.
3) You have sustained injuries or damages as a result of the incident. If you have been attacked, you may have been robbed of money, you could have sustained a head injury, broken bones, or other serious injury. You may have had to lose income because you could not attend work for a few days due to your injuries or due to stress. If you have needed to pay for therapy in order to resume your normal life, or if you have had to replace property that was stolen or damaged in the incident, you may also have a case for inadequate security.
If you are not sure whether you qualify for an inadequate security case, contact a qualified Florida personal attorney today. A good Florida attorney can tell you whether you have a case and can help you safeguard your rights in the event that you do.