Broken locks and other security failures may put you in peril

The property owner didn’t mean for you to get hurt, but the property owner’s intent is irrelevant to your injury or your recovery. It is what the property owner actually did—or failed to do—that is important. If the property owner failed to provide you with reasonable security and you were injured as a result of the lack of reasonable security, then you may have the right to recover damages through settlement negotiations or in an Illinois court.

But Did the Property Owner Fail to Provide Reasonable Security?

When you are considering whether the property owner provided reasonable security, it is important to consider whether there was adequate:

  • Staffing. A lack of adequate staffing can be a form of negligent security. A potential attacker may notice that there is not enough staff around to witness a crime or call 911, and may take advantage of this lack of security.
  • Staff training. Even if there are staff members present, they need to be appropriately trained about how to prevent criminal attacks and about what to do in the case of an emergency.
  • Lighting. Adequate lighting is an easy, low-cost way to discourage criminal activity and to protect people from being hurt. Would-be attackers may be afraid of being caught in a well-lit area and think twice about hurting anyone.
  • Fencing, locks, or other barriers to entry. These types of entry barriers to a property may make it difficult for an attacker to enter the property and may provide security for visitors, guests and customers.

It is important to think about these types of security measures when you are considering whether a property owner was negligent in providing you with reasonable security. However, it is also important to know that a property owner may be liable for negligent security in ways other than the ones described above.

In order to determine whether a property owner was negligent in providing you with reasonable security and if that negligence resulted in your injuries it is important to have a full investigation done by an experienced attorney. For more information about how to get the answers that you need and the recovery that you deserve, we encourage you to start a live chat with us now and to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with us today.

Jason F. Abraham
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Helping car accident and personal injury victims throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa since 1993.