Negligent Security Attorney in Pittsburgh

This generally depends on the circumstances of your case. Generally, when you're on someone else's property legally, they are required to provide security. This doesn't mean having bodyguards follow you everywhere you go—it simply means taking certain reasonable measures to ensure that the property is generally safe.

It's important to note that negligent security cases fall under premises liability laws. For this reason, the other party owes you security only if you're at their property legally. If you're at the property illegally, you may not hold the other party responsible for your injuries. In fact, they might turn the tables by suing you for trespassing.

There are so many ways a negligent security attorney might be able to help if you got injured at someone else's property due to negligent security. Here are a few examples:

Evaluate Your Case

The question of whether or not you have a valid claim will depend on several factors. An experienced negligent security attorney will evaluate the circumstances of your case to determine whether you can sue the other party for negligent security. As mentioned before, the attorney will want to know the specific details of the case, such as what you were doing at the property where you got injured.

Let's say you got mugged at a concert because the event organizers failed to provide security. If you got injured in the process, you might have a valid negligent security claim against the event organizers. On the other hand, if you started a fight at the concert and got injured, you may not be able to sue the event organizers because they'll argue that you initiated the fight.

Determine Liability

Negligent security cases are complex. Many factors will determine liability if you got injured at someone else's property or event. For example, your attorney will want to determine whether you got injured on public or private property. If you were injured on public property, the claims process would be very different. The attorney will evaluate the nature of your injuries and the overall circumstances of your case to identify the liable party.

Gather Evidence

Just because you got injured due to negligent security doesn't mean you'll receive compensation for your injuries. The only way to guarantee compensation is by gathering crucial evidence to prove your injuries. A seasoned negligent security attorney in Pittsburgh can help assess your evidence against the other party. The attorney will then help you strengthen the evidence before presenting it to the other party. This could include reviewing surveillance footage, interviewing witnesses, obtaining medical records, obtaining expert opinions, etc.

Calculate Damages

You may never understand the full scope of the damages you may be able to recover if you don't work with an attorney. With an experienced attorney by your side, you may be able to recover damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional anguish, etc.

Negotiate a Settlement

Once the attorney understands what you may be able to recover, they'll file a claim with the other party. The liable party can either accept or reject the claim. If they reject it, the attorney will help negotiate a reasonable settlement. This would work only if the other party is willing to negotiate. If they're unwilling to negotiate, your attorney will explore other options, such as filing a negligent security lawsuit in court.

This is just an overview of how an attorney can help. In addition to the above, the attorney can help you file complex paperwork, keep up with tight deadlines, and, most importantly, avoid dealing with the other party directly throughout the process.

The term “negligent security” describes incidents that could happen at someone else's property, causing injury to another person due to lack of security. Here is a breakdown of common examples of negligent security:

Lack of Security Personnel

This is usually the most common type of negligent security. When you attend a particular event, such as a concert, you expect the event organizers to provide security. Therefore, you may be able to hold them responsible if you get injured due to an attack.

Lack of security does not only apply to events. Personal and public properties are also responsible for providing security when hosting other people.

For instance, if you were attacked at a gas station, you may have a negligent security case against the property owners depending on your state. For instance, states like Florida have laws that require gas station owners to provide additional security between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Poor Lighting

We all know that most criminals prefer operating in the dark. So if you got injured at someone else's property because they failed to provide enough lighting, then you might have a valid claim against the property owner. The same applies to rental properties. Landlords are required to provide adequate security to residents, which includes but is not limited to adequate lighting.

Lack of Security Alarms

Security alarms can help prevent criminal activities. No criminal wants to keep committing a crime when the security alarm goes off. If you or your loved one has been injured in an incident that could have been prevented by installing security alarms, you might have a valid negligent security case.

Non-Functioning Locks

Suppose you've just moved into a new apartment. While unpacking, you notice that the apartment door has non-functioning locks. You notify the landlord, but they fail to treat it with the urgency it deserves. A few days later, someone gains access to your apartment and assaults you. In that case, you may be able to hold the landlord responsible for negligent security, arguing that the assault would have been prevented by installing functional locks within a reasonable time.

The first thing you need to do is to report the attack to the police and property owner. Then seek medical attention immediately if you've been seriously injured in the attack. If you've been physically assaulted, it's advisable to seek medical attention even if you don't feel any pain or show any signs of discomfort.

This is because your body might still be in shock, unable to process pain at that time. An experienced attorney will conduct several tests to establish whether you've suffered internal injuries or other injuries you may not be aware of.

While at it, remember to document everything. Keep copies of receipts of your medical expenses, including transportation costs to and from your medical appointments. If you needed special medical equipment and you paid for them out of pocket, you should document this as well.

You may also keep a diary of how you feel after the incident. This is because memories fade with time. And if you suffer head injuries, you may also have trouble recollecting everything.

Lastly, contact an experienced negligent security attorney. The attorney will evaluate your case and provide you with the best legal advice. And if you have a valid case against the property owner, the attorney can help pursue a claim on your behalf.

Negligent security cases usually apply to all kinds of properties. Whether public or private, you deserve to be safe when you visit these premises legally. However, filing a negligent security lawsuit following an attack on public property might be slightly different.

For example, such cases usually have a shorter statute of limitation. An experienced attorney can help you navigate these complex processes while keeping your best interests at heart.

These injuries vary depending on the nature of the incident. That said, some of the most common injuries associated with negligent security include:

• Internal injuries
• Lacerations
• STDs acquired through rape
• Gunshot wounds
• Stab wounds
• Disfigurement
• Scarring

To understand why it makes more sense to sue the property or business for negligent security, let's start by discussing the injury. Let's say your landlord fails to provide adequate lighting at your property.

A criminal then hides in one of the dark alleys and attacks you when you get home. You suffer several injuries and require emergency surgery to save your life. As a result, you're unable to go to work. Your bills continue to pile up, and you can't afford to support your family.

In such a situation, suing the landlord for negligent security doesn't mean that the attacker bears no blame for the attack. Rather, you can still have the attacker criminally charged for the attack. The logic behind the lawsuit against your landlord is that they had the power to prevent the attack by providing adequate lighting. This is especially true if you or any other resident had complained about poor lighting at the property.

Bear in mind that when you sue the attacker, you might not be able to recover what you truly deserve as compensation for your injuries. But on the other hand, you might be able to recover most damages when you sue your landlord. This is because property owners tend to have some sort of insurance that protects them against these kinds of lawsuits.

Just because you were injured at someone else's property doesn't necessarily mean they'll accept liability without a fight. The law prospects the other party just as it protects you. For this reason, they could claim any of the following defenses in such a lawsuit:

Lack of knowledge: They may claim they did not have actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition. While this claim might be valid, it is still debatable. The plaintiff might be able to prove that the property owner should have known about the dangerous condition in the process of exercising reasonable care.

The dangerous condition was obvious: You may not be able to sue the defendant if the hazard was obvious. For example, if you intentionally grabbed a live wire and got electrocuted, the defendant could use this as a possible defense.

The incident was not foreseeable: To bring a successful lawsuit or claim against the defendant, you must prove that the danger was foreseeable, meaning they should have known about it. For example, if a fight breaks out at a concert and goes on for hours due to a lack of security, this is a foreseeable incident because adequate security is required in such an event.

Pittsburgh is home to several personal injury law firms that provide legal representation for victims of negligent security. However, when it comes to these kinds of cases, you want to work with a law firm that's well equipped and has a solid track record of winning. If that's what you're looking for, Morgan and Morgan is the law firm to contact.

Morgan and Morgan is the largest personal injury law firm in Pittsburgh and the entire country. Our attorneys have handled premises liability cases all over the country and can help fight for you if you have a valid claim. All you need to do is fill out our free, no-obligation case evaluation form. Then, one of our premises liability experts will review your case and let you know how to proceed.