Negligent Security Attorney in Prestonsburg

It is not always easy to tell whether you have a valid case, especially without an attorney's intervention. This is because each case must satisfy certain elements in order to file a claim or lawsuit against the other party. That is why Morgan and Morgan provide a free case evaluation.

Remember that personal injury cases are usually based on facts, not speculations. Therefore, an experienced attorney can help you determine whether you have a valid case against the other party and the best legal pathway to pursue to obtain the compensation you need and deserve.

Some possible consequences of negligent security include:

• Physical assault
• Sexual assault
• Robbery
• Murder

Knowing what to do if you are a victim of negligent security can hugely impact your case. Here are some quick tips to guide you.

Call 911

You should call 911 if you have suffered serious injuries. When you call 911, remember to request a police officer at the scene of the incident. The responding officer will write a report, which you could use to prove your claim later.

Seek Medical Attention

It is important that you get treated as soon as possible. This applies even if you do not feel any pain and discomfort after the incident. Getting checked by a doctor is the best way to determine whether you sustained internal injuries or other complications you might not have been aware of. When you visit the doctor, ask them to write you a report detailing the injuries you sustained or any other important medical information you should know.

Contact a Negligent Security Lawyer

Next, contact a seasoned negligent security lawyer for a case evaluation. Keep in mind that some law firms might charge a consultation fee, but you should not be worried about that when you contact Morgan and Morgan. Despite being the largest personal injury law firm in the country, we are committed to fighting for the rights of individuals whose rights have been violated.

We do not consider their finances. Instead, we offer a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

It is important to note that getting injured due to a lack of security does not necessarily warrant a negligent security claim or lawsuit. In other words, negligent security is not the same as a lack of security.

You must consider two important factors to file a negligent security case in Kentucky.

The first factor is whether the injury was foreseeable. Say, for example, there has been an increase in crime in a particular area. As a result, several people have been killed and injured in that area over the past few weeks.

These incidents have been reported in the news, and the local community has been put on high alert. In that case, as a tenant, the last thing you expect is to have an apartment with non-functioning locks. So if you get injured by someone who entered your apartment because the locks were not functional, you may have a valid case against the property owner.

But that is not all—you must also prove that the injury was preventable. Again, using the example above, suppose you informed your landlord about the faulty locks, but they did not do anything about it for weeks. This could be a case of negligence because, with functional locks in place, the individual who assaulted you would likely not have been able to enter the apartment complex.

Although the individual or party that directly harmed you is responsible, the goal of filing a negligent security claim is to seek monetary compensation for the damages you sustained. Therefore, you will need to file a claim against an individual or entity that can compensate you for your losses.

That is where the issue of liability comes in. The specific individual or entity responsible for your injuries will depend on the details of your case. For example, using the scenario of the insecurity incident we described above, the landlord would be liable for compensating the tenant for the damages they sustained from the assault incident.

Remember that this does not mean the assailant will walk away without punishment. If arrested, they can be charged with assault, but you should not expect to recover damages from them. The bottom line is that when determining liability, your attorney will always go for individuals or entities with a higher likelihood of compensating you because that is the whole point of filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit.

In most cases, negligence security victims recover economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages cover the monetary losses you suffered due to the injury. Such losses include medical expenses, ambulance costs, lost wages, loss of earning potential, cost of hiring a caregiver, etc.

Non-economic damages cover the non-financial losses you suffered due to negligent security. These include pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent disfigurement, etc.

Although not guaranteed, the court might also award you punitive damages if they conclude that the defendant was extremely negligent. Punitive damages are meant to punish the defendant for their gross negligence and warn others against such conduct.

Yes, you can sue the liable party if you lost a loved one due to negligent security. You may be able to file a lawsuit if you are the deceased's:

• Spouse
• Child aged 25 or under
• Child aged 25 or over if the deceased did not have a spouse
• Parent or financially dependent relative if there are no other survivors

Yes, you can also sue a nightclub if one of their bouncers assaulted you, causing serious injuries. In fact, many negligent security lawsuits target such establishments.

This is because businesses like nightclubs are responsible for their patron's security. And, in businesses that serve alcohol, you expect the owners to provide adequate security.

But that is not always the case. Some nightclubs hire bouncers just because they look like bouncers. Others hire these security officials just because they are friends in the gym or elsewhere. The biggest problem with hiring people who are not experienced in crowd management is that they usually do not know how to handle tense situations. While a bouncer's role is to de-escalate such incidents and restore order, violence is not always an option.

For example, in Indiana, a bouncer can call the police to remove anyone who threatens themselves or the nightclub's patrons. But they cannot assault you to make you obey their orders.  

Although a majority of bouncers in Prestonsburg are good people, some resort to violence in situations that could be de-escalated through conversations or a phone call to law enforcement. Therefore, if it is established that the nightclub was negligent during the hiring process, you may be able to file a lawsuit against them for the injuries you sustained.

The same applies to the security company that hired the bouncer. You may be able to hold them accountable for their negligence if they did not provide the proper training for their bouncers.

There is no specific timeline for settling these kinds of cases. Instead, it all depends on the complexity of the case and the other party's response or conduct.

For example, if the other party is clearly at fault, it is quite unlikely that they will want to defend themselves in court. This is because there is a high possibility that they will lose the case and compensate the plaintiff for their injuries and the legal fees. For this reason, an out-of-court settlement is usually the best option.

On the other hand, if they believe they could challenge your claim in court, they might decide to go all the way. Remember, court cases could drag on for years. You will even have to wait longer if the court rules in your favor, but the other party files an appeal.

Regardless of the outcome, involving an experienced, negligent security lawyer is always advisable. Such an attorney can help prepare for different scenarios, ensuring your rights are respected and protected.

While we do not speak for other firms, most personal injury attorneys charge their clients a contingent fee. In other words, the lawyer agrees to take on the case without any upfront payment. Then, if they win, they deduct a small portion of the settlement to cover legal and attorney fees.

At Morgan and Morgan, we have a contingent payment system. This system gives our clients access to the best injury attorneys in Prestonsburg without paying anything out of pocket.

Injuries caused by negligent security can change your life, that is, if you are even lucky to be alive. When that happens, you will need medical attention and so much more.

Unfortunately, your medical and personal bills will not stop piling. Within a short period, you will exhaust your savings and stare at the possibility of sinking into debt if you haven't already.

So why go through all this due to someone else's mistakes and carelessness? Why suffer in silence when you can hold someone else accountable for their negligence and actually get paid if you win?

At Morgan and Morgan, we can help you fight for your rights as you recover from your injuries. If you have a valid case, you deserve compensation for your losses.

Understandably, you may not know where to start. This is because negligent security cases are complex and time-sensitive.

The more you delay taking action, the more complex your case becomes. Crucial evidence could be lost within hours, not even days. You may be locked out permanently from filing a lawsuit if you let the statute of limitations expire. And if you got injured due to negligent security by a government agency, the case will be even more complicated.

But you are not alone. Morgan and Morgan cares for you. Our attorneys want to fight for you.

All you have to do is fill out our free case evaluation form. One of our legal experts will review your case and get in touch to discuss the next step if you have a valid case.

We have recovered more than $23 billion as compensation for our clients, some of whom did not know they had a valid case against the other party. You could be the next one in line.

Ready to fight back? Fill out our free case evaluation form now.