NEGLIGENT SECURITY ATTORNEY SERVING COLUMBUS
Our experienced negligent security lawyers can help if you were the victim of a criminal attack on a commercial property in Columbus. Did you know that you may be entitled to compensation after a violent criminal attack at a Columbus, Georgia apartment complex, hotel, or gas station?
If you have been the victim of a shooting, sexual assault or other violent crime at a hotel, gas station or apartment complex, you may have a negligent security case. If a property owner or manager of a commercial establishment does not take proper precautions to protect their patrons, especially if there is a known danger or previous cases of the same violent acts, they can be held responsible for the damages you’ve suffered.
INJURY LAWYER FOR COLUMBUS GEORGIA CRIME VICTIMS
It can be confusing knowing where to start and who to blame in a negligent security case. These cases typically fall under Georgia statutory law that establishes what duties a property owner owes their guests. By Georgia law, property owners are expected to exercise ordinary care in keeping the property safe.
Hotels, apartment complexes and all other commercial establishments have a responsibility to protect from and deter any foreseeable or predictable violent acts. One way a crime is seen as predictable is if similar criminal activity has previously taken place on the property.
At the beginning stages of your negligent security case, your attorney should send an open records request to the Columbus police department asking for a crime grid showing the specific types and number of crimes that were previously reported in the area you were attacked.
After the severity and extent of the prior crime is established from the open records request, your attorney should consult with experts in security to determine the exact level of security that should have been present. Examples of security measures that may deter criminal activity include:
- Access Control Gates
- Proper Fencing
- Security Signage
- Closed Circuit Television and security cameras
- Security Guards
- Key Controls
- Security Patrols
- Crime-preventive landscaping
- Duress alarms in isolated common areas
- Neighborhood Watch programs
If security was inadequate at the place you were attacked, your negligent security attorney should consult with you about the best ways to pursue a personal injury claim. Sometimes, but not often, negligent security cases will settle without a lawsuit. If a case cannot be settled for a reasonable pre-suit amount, your attorney will need to file a lawsuit. Most Columbus negligent security cases are filed in the State Court of Muscogee County.
Once the lawsuit is filed, your lawyer will interview any prior crime victims as well as the property owner and their employees. Your lawyer will also work with your physician to obtain medical records that prove the extent of injuries you sustained.
After all of the appropriate data is collected and depositions are taken, it will be time for mediation. Attorney Joel Williams describes mediation in this video:
If you case does not settle at mediation, it will be set for trial. Not all cases have to go to trial, but if yours does, a jury will decide if you will receive any compensation and, if so, how much you will receive.
DISTRIBUTION OF FAULT IN NEGLIGENT SECURITY CASES
It’s not uncommon in Columbus negligent security cases for a jury to assign certain percentages of fault to everyone involved. Attorney Joel Williams explains this process further in this video.
In apportionment cases, both the property owner and the criminal are assigned percentages of the fault. The victim can also be assigned a percentage of the fault. If the jury assigns fault to the victim, the total award is reduced by the victim’s percentage of fault.
CONTACT US FOR YOUR COLUMBUS NEGLIGENT SECURITY CASE
If you or a loved one suffered a criminal attack due to inadequate security in Columbus, don’t hesitate to contact us about your free consultation. You can reach us on the web at www.gatrialattorney.com or by phone at 833-LEGALGA (833-534-2542).
