People who break the law are generally responsible for their own decisions. A person who assaults or robs another person could face civil litigation in addition to criminal prosecution. However, those who commit crimes do not necessarily have the resources available to compensate the people they harm.
In some cases, crimes may have occurred on private property. A mugging in a grocery store parking lot or an assault in the bathroom area of a popular bar could occur in part because the people operating businesses were negligent about security matters. If the victim of a crime can show that negligent security contributed to the incident, they may have grounds for a premises liability lawsuit.
When are security practices negligent?
It is impossible for a business leader or property owner to completely prevent criminal activity by outside parties. People never know when interpersonal conflicts might boil over in a public setting or when an individual with severe mental health challenges might engage in erratic behavior.
However, certain types of crimes are relatively easy to predict in certain neighborhoods or industries. If other people could identify risk factors and recognize ways for property owners or businesses to prevent certain types of crime, then the people affected by the crime may have grounds to take legal action. Negligence involves a failure to fulfill a duty to others by omission or by engaging in unsafe conduct.
The failure to secure the facilities, properly train staff or install appropriate security systems could all increase the likelihood of criminal activity. People harmed by predictable and theoretically preventable crimes may be able to pursue a premises liability lawsuit on the basis of negligent security.
Reviewing a crime itself and information about the business or property with a skilled legal team can help injured people explore their options. Personal injury lawsuits are often helpful for those dealing with medical expenses, lost wages and significant property damage losses after a crime.