NEGLIGENT SECURITY ATTORNEY IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA
Were you the victim of a sexual assault or other violent crime at a gas station, hotel, or apartment complex in Augusta, Georgia due to negligent security? Are you looking for guidance on your legal options? You’ve come to the right place.
Commercial property owners have a responsibility to protect their customers or tenants from harm by putting safety measures in place to deter criminal activity. If there is a known danger to customers or tenants, or previous incidents of violent acts, and a commercial property owner fails to take precautions, he or she can be held liable. The negligent security attorneys at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter have experience in handling criminal attack and negligent security cases.
HOW DO YOU PROVE A NEGLIGENT SECURITY CASE IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA?
The first step in a negligent security case is determining whether the commercial property owner took the necessary precautions to keep customers or tenants safe while on the property. Georgia statute O.C.G.A. § 51-3-1 states that commercial property owners are legally required to exercise ordinary care and take precautions to keep their premises safe from foreseeable criminal activity. Crimes are foreseeable if similar types of crimes have previously occurred on the property and could potentially occur again. Safety precautions taken by owners can include utilizing security cameras, security guards, fences, and locked access gates.
To evaluate the level of crime on or near the commercial property, your Augusta negligent security attorney will submit an open records request to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office requesting a crime grid. A crime grid will show the number and types of crimes that have occurred in the area where you were attacked. Based on this information, your attorney will hire an expert to determine whether a sufficient level of security was provided by the commercial property owner. If sufficient security was not provided, your Augusta negligent security attorney will assist you in filing a negligent security lawsuit.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING A NEGLIGENT SECURITY LAWSUIT IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA?
After a lawsuit is filed, your Augusta negligent security attorney will begin gathering information pertinent to your case. For example, your medical records will be ordered to prove the extent of your injuries. The commercial property insurance information will be requested. Depositions of the property owner, the employees, and former crime victims may be taken. The negligent security attorneys at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter will work hard to gather evidence to prove that the commercial property owner did not provide reasonable security measures to deter foreseeable crimes.
When the discovery period concludes, your negligent security case will most likely be required to go through mediation. If mediation does not end with a fair settlement, your case will go to trial. A jury will determine if the commercial property owner was negligent and assign a monetary amount for your injuries.
DISTRIBUTION OF FAULT IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA NEGLIGENT SECURITY CASES
When determining the appropriate monetary amount for your injuries, the jury will also apportion fault in Augusta negligent security cases. This means that a jury will determine what percentage of fault the commercial property owner, the criminal, and the victim has in the incident. For example, if your injuries from the crime had a monetary value of $100,000 and the jury decided the property owner was 50% at fault, the criminal was 40% at fault, and you were 10% at fault, you would be entitled to 90% of the $100,000. Typically, a criminal would not have the means to pay his or her portion to you, so you would only be able to collect the $50,000 from the commercial property owner.
For more information about apportioning fault in Augusta negligent security cases, please watch the following video from attorney Joel Williams:
CONTACT US FOR YOUR AUGUSTA, GEORGIA NEGLIGENT SECURITY CASE
If you have been the victim of a sexual assault or other violent crime on a commercial property due to negligent security in Augusta, contact the experienced attorneys at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter at 833-LEGALGA (833-534-2542). Our consultations are free, and we look forward to serving you.
