Most likely, when you go to the grocery store or the gas station, safety is one of the last things on your mind. Unfortunately, we do not always have the luxury of ignoring potential dangers when we go out in public. Recently, two local teens were shot and killed behind a Publix Supermarket in Roswell, Georgia, and there was an extremely dangerous shooting at a gas station on Lee Street in Atlanta, Georgia. These unfortunate events do not mean we have to be fearful every time we leave the house. They do, however, provide us with an opportunity to talk about what businesses and property owners can do to keep us safe.
You probably have an expectation that you will be safe when you go to a shopping center. When businesses like these induce you to come shop at their stores, you are considered an “invitee” on their property. In Georgia, business owners and property owners have a duty to keep their premises safe for invitees. If it is foreseeable that something or someone will pose a danger on those premises, property owners can be held liable for any injuries that result from that danger. Injured or victimized people may be entitled to recovery if they were injured at a business who did not provide adequate security to keep them safe. Those parties can bring a negligent security claim against the business to hold them accountable for their failure to act reasonably in keeping their premises safe. You can read about one of our clients who was shot at an apartment complex, filed negligence security lawsuits, and won by clicking here.
Negligent security cases are not limited to gas stations and shopping centers. Some other areas where property owners are held liable for negligent security include:
- Apartment complexes and condominiums
- Parking lots and garages
- Hotels and motels
- Colleges, universities, and other schools
- ATMs
- Bars and restaurants
- Workplaces
- Hospitals
- Construction sites
Businesses can take many different security measures to protect customers on their property. What constitutes adequate security will vary from case to case, but here are just a few examples:
- Security cameras
- Functioning security hardware such as locks on doors and gates
- Adequately trained security patrols during business hours
- Warnings and signs
- Well-thought safety policies and procedures that are actually followed
- Appropriate lighting
- Restricting the ability to hand out duplicate keys
- Gates and fences
- Putting large amounts of cash in safes instead of cash registers
- Proper background checks on employees and residences
Often, property owners and businesses try to deny they have any responsibility for injured parties. They argue that the crime and/or injury were not “foreseeable,” meaning the business could not reasonably expect the crime would happen on the property or that the victim would be injured. It is important that you speak with an attorney who can prevent those businesses from trying to escape responsibility for their security deficiencies. Rafi Law Firm has successfully helped clients recover in these negligent security cases.
Many businesses keep their property safe for customers and free of dangers posed by criminals. However, some do not. If you have been injured on the premises of one of the businesses or property owners that do not provide adequate security measures, we can help. Our firm conduct crime scene investigations and has shown in many cases that clients would not have been injured if certain businesses took a few of the simple and easy steps listed above to protect their customers. Contact us if you were injured on a business’s property and you believe they did not act reasonably to protect you from danger.