Personal Injury Blog

Morristown NJ Negligent Security Attorneys Seek Justice for Clients

Negligent security often leads to severe injuries or even death

In many instances, businesses and property owners have a duty to provide security on their premises. If an individual, who had a legal right to be on the property, was injured due to a lack of security, that individual may be able to recover monetary damages. At Leonard Law Group, our attorneys recognize where entities and individuals had a duty to provide security and are skilled in pursuing these claims to the full extent of the law.

The basics of premises liability

When an individual is injured on someone else’s property, the status of that individual must be determined. Under premises liability laws, visitors to a property are divided into three categories:

  • Invitees — Individuals with express or implied permission to come onto the property. For example, if you attend a cookout at your uncle’s house, you are an invitee. Property owners have a reasonable duty of care to keep their property safe for invitees.
  • Licensees — This group includes individuals who have express or implied permission to enter one’s property, but the entrance is for the licensee’s purposes. For example, if you hire a pest control company to spray your yard monthly, the employee that enters your property to spray is a licensee. If there are hazardous conditions the property owner is aware of, which the licensee is unaware of, the owner must inform the licensee of these conditions.
  • Trespassers — Trespassers are not authorized to enter someone else’s property for any reason. In most cases, a landowner does not owe any sort of duty to a trespasser.

Elements of negligent security in New Jersey

To prevail in a negligent security case, an injured individual typically must show:

  • The property owner owed a duty of care;
  • The property owner knew or had reason to know that criminal activity was likely to occur on the premises;
  • The property owner failed to provide adequate security to prevent the criminal activity; and
  • The failure to provide security caused the injured individual harm.

In a situation where a person was attacked on a property for the first time in many years, a claim for negligent security may not stand. However, if, for example, a shopping center was well known for suffering a string of armed robberies, and the owner failed to take adequate measures to secure the property, the owner may be liable if a visitor is subsequently attacked and injured.

You focus on healing; our New Jersey accident lawyers focus on your case

If you were attacked due to negligent security, you are likely stressed and traumatized. You need a legal team that handles your case for you so that you may focus on your recovery. At Leonard Legal Group, we have represented clients in numerous premises liability and negligent security matters. To schedule a free consultation to discuss your potential claim, call our 24-hour call center at 973-984-1414 or contact us online.