Princeton Negligent Security Law Firm
Negligent Security
Negligent security is a unique situation in which a retail or rental property owner may be held accountable for criminal actions committed on the premises. As patrons of New Jersey businesses, we want to assume that business owners have considered safety and have taken adequate measures to ensure our protection. Unfortunately, some landlords routinely ignore safety concerns perhaps because it is often expensive to address or they do not realize that they may be held liable for NJ premises injuries.
If a court determines that the property owner should have anticipated the criminal activity, he or she may be legally responsible for the effects of the crime. For instance, if similar incidents had happened in the past, or there were not sufficient locks on residents' doors, the property owner might be partially liable.
Safety concerns that property owners might be expected to address include: lighting to discourage criminal activity; limited access to areas through security devices, such as swipe cards; and hiring security guards.
If a perpetrator assaults a hotel guest in a room because the building was not secure or due to an insufficient door lock mechanism, the proprietor or building owner may be responsible for damages. A bank that fails to provide sufficient lighting at an ATM may be held responsible for a robbery at that location. While the law does not generally hold private citizens or businesses liable for crimes committed by others, if it is clear that they chose to ignore a problem, negligent security charges are the exception.
If you have suffered an assault, mugging, rape or other injury and believe security concerns were not sufficiently addressed at the crime location, you may be able to recover damages from the building or business owner. Only a highly qualified Princeton negligent security lawyer can determine whether you have a legitimate claim and pursue it aggressively to gain the highest possible compensation.
At Lependorf & Silverstein, we are long time New Jersey residents who are committed to making this state a safer place for everyone. Part of that commitment is holding negligent property owners responsible for their failure to address problems. Call our New Jersey premises liability attorneys today to determine whether you may be eligible for financial compensation for your injuries under the state's negligent security laws.