NEGLIGENT SECURITY LAWYER FOR ROME, GEORGIA CRIME VICTIMS
Are you searching for a Rome, Georgia, negligent security attorney? If you or a loved one were the victim of a violent crime or a sexual assault at a gas station, bar, hotel, or any other commercial property, the experienced attorneys at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter are ready to help. We specialize in Rome negligent security cases and maximizing our clients’ financial recoveries.
Berry College makes Rome a scenic college town with plenty of attractions. You will find a variety of restaurants and bars on Broad Street and around the downtown area. These businesses can offer fun outings but can also set the stage for you becoming the victim of a crime. Commercial property owners have an obligation to keep their patrons safe and to deter crime. When they fail to put safety measures in place and you are injured during a crime, you may have a legal case against the property owner and his/her insurance company.
Negligent security Attorney Joel Williams, our founding partner, has the necessary experience to handle your Rome case and get the justice you deserve:
HOW TO PROVE A NEGLIGENT SECURITY CASE IN ROME
The first priority in a Rome negligent security case is proving that the commercial property owner failed to take the necessary precautions to keep patrons or guests safe. Georgia statute O.C.G.A. § 51-3-1 requires commercial property owners to exercise ordinary care to protect their establishments and patrons and deter any foreseeable crime. A crime is considered foreseeable if similar criminal activity has occurred in the past and is likely to occur again on the commercial property.
At the beginning of your Rome negligent security case, your attorney will submit an open records request to either the Rome City Police Department or Floyd County Police Department, depending on the location of the crime, requesting a crime grid. A crime grid shows the types and number of crimes that occurred in the area. Your Rome negligent security attorney will evaluate the severity of crime in the area and consult an expert to determine the level of security measures that should have been in place. If the investigation reveals that security measures were missing, your Rome attorney will assist you in filing a lawsuit against the at-fault commercial insurance company.
HOW DOES A ROME NEGLIGENT SECURITY CASE PROGRESS?
As soon as your Rome negligent security lawsuit is filed, the attorneys at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter will begin working hard to gather all the important information in your case. Your medical records and bills will be ordered to prove the extent of your injuries and economic losses. The insurance declaration pages will be requested from the at-fault insurance company. Your Rome negligent security attorney may depose the property owner, employees, and any prior crime victims. This process of gathering information for your case is known as the discovery period and can last six months.
At the conclusion of the discovery period, a Rome judge may require your case to go through mediation. This is a final attempt for your negligent security case to settle before going to trial. If an agreement cannot be reached, then a trial date will be set. A jury will decide if the commercial property owner was responsible and assign a monetary amount for your injuries.
DISTRUBUTION OF FAULT IN ROME NEGLIGENT SECURITY CASES
When a Rome jury is deciding a monetary amount to compensate you for your injuries, they will apportion fault. According to Georgia statute O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33, percentages of fault are assigned to each party in the case, including the commercial property owner, the criminal, and the victim. In other words, each party is assigned a certain amount of fault regarding their contribution to the incident.
For example, say a jury decides your injuries are worth $100,000 and decides the commercial property owner is 60% at fault, the criminal is 30% at fault, and you are 10% at fault for the incident. With this distribution of fault, you would receive $60,000 from the commercial property owner and $30,000 from the criminal. Unfortunately, most criminals would not have $30,000 to pay you, so you would only receive the money from the commercial property owner. Although you were assigned 10% of the fault, you would not have to pay anyone back.
To help you better understand how distribution of fault works in Rome negligent security cases, watch Attorney Joel Williams’ informative video:
CONACT A ROME NEGLIGENT SECURITY ATTORNEY TODAY
If you or a loved were the victim of crime while on a commercial property, contact the experienced negligent security attorneys at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter today at 833-LEGALGA (534-2542). Our law firm offers free in-person and Zoom consultations to our Rome neighbors. We look forward to helping you maximize your financial recovery.
