Atlanta crime victim lawyer
If you were injured while a crime was committed on someone else’s property, you can obtain justice and equitable compensation by suing the property owner. Too often, property and business owners know of an imminent or existing danger, but do nothing to protect the people on their property.
If you were injured, you don’t have to be a victim; let Mike Rafi help you as he’s helped thousands of clients.
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Why do you need a negligent security lawyer in Atlanta?
When you are shopping in a store, pumping gas, staying in a hotel, or are a paying customer on anyone’s property, you expect that you are safe. In these situations, you are considered an “invitee.” In Georgia, landowners and businesses must use reasonable care to keep the property safe for invitees.
When a business knows of (or should know of) a security threat to its patrons, the business must do something. The business could:
- Close down until the threat no longer remains
- Warn you about the danger
- Provide reasonably security measures to protect customers who are not informed of the threat
However, businesses often choose to do none of these things. Instead, they stay open, do not warn customers, and do not protect customers. The reason for this is usually that keeping people safe costs the business money.
Negligent security cases are brought by crime victims after being injured on another’s property. When a business knows (or should have known) of a security concern, but does not act reasonably to protect their customers, the business can be held responsible.
What types of crimes will an Atlanta negligent security lawyer help with?
Crime victim cases usually result from shootings, rapes, sexual assaults, and other violent crimes. These crimes can happen anywhere, but the most common locations are:
- Apartment complexes
- Hotels and motels
- Gas stations
- Bars and restaurants
- Shopping centers malls
- Stores and their parking lots
- Workplaces
- Colleges and other schools
Let us help you today!
Contact an Atlanta crime victim lawyer
Mike Rafi has helped crime victims recover more than $15 million in negligent security cases. These are cases where a person is injured because a business, like an apartment complex, shopping center, gas station, or restaurant failed to provide adequate security to protect their customers and guests.
If you were hurt at an unsafe property, you may be able to recover substantial money for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
Let him help you today by calling 404-800-9933 or sending us a message online.
Victim of a crime case results
What does a negligent security lawyer do?
Lawyers can’t win negligent security cases by sitting in their cozy offices waiting for evidence to magically come to them. The first thing Mike Rafi does after being asked to investigate a negligent security case is to drop everything and head to the crime scene. In many cases, Mike is at the crime scene within hours of the crime.
Once Mike arrives, he takes photographs of everything that could be important, speaks to police investigators and first responders, interviews witnesses, and starts learning everything he can about the location.
1. Obtain a crime grid
2. Find former victims and employees
3. Meet with experts
4. Prepare for trial
It is very important to find out all of the crime and dangerous activity that has happened at the location. Most customers have no idea whether the business is safe; they just figure (and reasonably so) that it is. It is the business owner or occupier that should know about everything that has happened at their location. After all, it is their business.
One way to determine the amount and types of prior crime is to obtain a crime grid from the police. Crime grids show crimes that were reported to police at a specific location. This is what a crime grid typically looks like:
The most important types of crimes are the ones that are similar to the crime that injured you: homicides, aggravated assaults with a weapon, gun, or knife, assaults, batteries, and discharge of firearms.
What is considered a violent crime?
A violent crime is committed when the victim is harmed or threatened with harm. Violent crimes include murder, assault, nonnegligent manslaughter, rape and sexual assault, child endangerment, kidnapping, robbery, and more. According to the FBI, there are only four types of violent crime: murder, rape and sexual assault, robbery, and assault.
Types of violent crimes
How do you prove that security was negligent?
Examples of reasonable security measures
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Murder
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Assaults
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Robbery
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Sexual assault
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Rape
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Shootings
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Stabbings
How to protect yourself in an
apartment complex
Even before you go look at an apartment complex, you can find out information and statistics about crime in the area and at the complex. Call local police and ask if any officers are familiar with and will talk to you about the complex. Also, be sure to search the internet for information about the complex.
These websites will help you find information:
When you do go to the complex, ask management about any recent crimes. Ask management if they have issued any warnings to residents about crime or dangerous activity. Also ask any residents that you see if they know of any crime, if they feel safe, and if they think security measures are adequate.
When you first get to the apartment complex, take notice of the entrances to the complex itself and individual buildings. When you leave, do the same thing with the exits. Gates at the entrances to the complex will help deter criminals from committing crimes on the property.
At entrance points, gates prevent unwanted people from entering, and at exit points, gates prevent criminals from getting away quickly committing a crime.
Individual buildings within the complex can have security to keep criminals away. It is best if doors on the outside of the building only allow people in who have the correct key, passcode, or the okay from someone inside the building already. These controlled-access doors reduce break-ins, loitering, and the chance that you will be hurt at the complex.
If there are security guards at the complex, then you should quickly see them. The presence of security guards will help stop criminals from coming on the property. Whether you see security guards or not, you should ask whether the complex has them. If there are guards, ask how many and whether the guards travel on foot and in vehicles. Make sure the patrols are randomly timed throughout the day, so criminals can’t learn the patrol’s schedule.
If the complex doesn’t have guards, ask why not. Ask whether the complex regularly re-evaluates the need for security. Also ask if the complex has ever had security before, and if so, why it stopped having security.
While you are at the apartment complex, take a look at how the complex looks in general. Boarded or broken windows, run-down or damaged buildings or parking lots, and unkempt landscaping are all signs that the landlord does not properly maintain the property. Think about it: if the landlord doesn’t keep the place looking good, do you think they are worried about security?
When you walk into certain stores and many gas stations, you will be able to tell security cameras are in use because you will see yourself live on a television screen. There are also usually signs telling you that you are being recorded. These things are important because security cameras can only deter crimes if criminals know they will be recorded.
If you see security cameras and signs, ask why the complex has them – find out if it is because there was prior crime. Ask whether the footage is reviewed and how long the footage is saved for.
If there are no security cameras and signs, then ask if there are cameras that you can’t see. If there aren’t, ask if the complex is considering cameras and learn why they think they do or don’t need the cameras.
Poorly-lit or dark areas make it easier for criminals to gain access to the property and commit crimes. Before you agree to move in, go to the complex at night. Check the entrances, parking lot, walkways, hallways, stairways, elevators, mailbox areas, laundry rooms, and other common areas to make sure all these places are well-lit. The more places that are well-lit, the safer you will be.
Every apartment complex should change the locks after a tenant moves out and before a new tenant moves in. The benefit of this is probably obvious: you have no idea if prior tenants actually returned their keys or whether they made copies. Ultimately, the fewer people who have access to your new apartment, the better.
But, apartment complexes don’t always actually change the locks, or if they do, they will just re-use locks used on other apartment doors. Since you can’t be sure the landlord actually changed the lock, ask if the complex will change the locks in front of you – if they refuse, then you should look elsewhere.
According to some estimates, up to 30% of criminals enter through windows. When you are inside the apartment, make sure all of the window locks are properly working. If they are broken ask for them to be replaced.
Test the windows by locking them and making sure you can’t open the window. If you can, request an apartment on a higher floor – it may take longer to carry your groceries up the stairs, but it will help you sleep safe and sound at night.
A peephole is a simple thing that can protect you while you are inside your apartment. If there is a peephole, make sure you can look from inside to outside and clearly see a person on the other side. If the door does not have a peephole, then ask for one.
Never open your door unless you know who is on the other side. A peephole lets you make sure you know the person at the door.
5 things to do after you move in
1. Regularly check about crime
2. Buy additional locks
3. Protect sliding doors
4. Put blinds in your windows
5. Install a security system
It is very important to find out all of the crime and dangerous activity that has happened at the location. Most customers have no idea whether the business is safe; they just figure (and reasonably so) that it is. It is the business owner or occupier that should know about everything that has happened at their location. After all, it is their business.
One way to determine the amount and types of prior crime is to obtain a crime grid from the police. Crime grids show crimes that were reported to police at a specific location. This is what a crime grid typically looks like:
Crime victims questions & answers
It may take 30-60 days for the Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program (CVCP) to disburse payments to victims. Once submitted and approved, allow up to four weeks for payment before contacting. How much each person may receive from the program varies depending on services required and the unique situation.
The Victim’s Compensation Program covers:
- Up to $15,000 in medical expenses
- Up to $3,000 in counseling services
- Up to $10,000 in lost wages and economic support in cases of domestic violence
- Up to $6,000 in funeral costs
- Up to $1,500 in crime scene clean up
In cases where a crime has been committed, the court has most likely instituted a no-contact order between the defendant and the plaintiff. If a defendant contacts the victim of their crime by disobeying that court order, the victim may report the violation of the order.
An experienced Atlanta crime victim lawyer will know that reporting this violation correctly can help the victim not only prove their case but also show that the defendant doesn’t respect the court system and fails to follow simple court orders, which reflects poorly on the defendant.
If the plaintiff has also requested a protection order and the defendant violates that as well, the defendant may be subject to more severe consequences. In these cases, contact should always be handled through the attorneys on the case.
The standard for most criminal charges is four years, with misdemeanors coming in at just two years. In cases of violent crimes like murder, rape, sexual assault, assault, battery, and armed robbery, the statute of limitations varies or doesn’t exist at all.
For instance, for the felony charge of rape, the statute of limitations is generally 15 years. But if the victim was under the age of 18 at the time, it becomes more complex.
In severe criminal cases where DNA is used to uncover the criminal, the statute of limitations is voided and they may be prosecuted at any time. Examples of these exceptions include armed robbery, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery, kidnapping, and more.
Areas we serve
- John’s Creek
- Sandy Springs
- Kennesaw
- Alpharetta
- Marietta
- Gainesville
- Smyrna
- Villa Rica
- Powder Springs
- Roswell
- Duluth
- Athens
- Lawrenceville
- Dawsonville
- Buford
- Dunwoody
- Norcross