Were you hurt because of criminal or violent activity while patronizing a business or in a public space? You may be able to hold the property or business owner liable if they failed to provide adequate security to deter such behavior.
The Olson Law Firm, LLC, is ready to explain your legal options and demand accountability on your behalf.
For over a decade, our firm has been dedicated to helping our clients recover from life-altering injuries. We strive to provide both skilled legal advocacy and compassionate client service as we guide our clients through an emotionally and often financially challenging time. Our attorneys have the skills and tenacity to pursue maximum financial recovery for you, either through an insurance settlement or by fighting your case in court and at trial.
If you were injured because of negligent security at someone else’s property, reach out to the Olson Law Firm, LLC, for a free initial case evaluation with a negligent security lawyer in Golden, CO. We look forward to meeting you and discussing how we can help.
What Is Negligent Security?
Property owners, businesses, and other responsible parties in Golden have a legal duty to provide security for people legally on the premises. Negligent security occurs when a property or business owner fails to implement reasonable security measures or maintain security equipment, which allows a third party to commit some criminal or violent act that injures an innocent person.
The property or business owner could be held liable for injuries caused by criminal or violent activity when reasonable security measures could have prevented the illegal activity.
How Can Negligent Security Affect Me?
Negligent security may cause you to suffer injuries by setting the stage for another person to engage in criminal or violent behavior. For example, lax security could lead you to be attacked by a mugger or robber at a shopping mall or assaulted by a drunken patron at a bar or club. If you live in an apartment complex, negligent security may also jeopardize your safety at home by allowing criminals to access your property.
Who Is Responsible for Security?
Depending on the type of property in question, the following parties may be responsible for providing adequate security:
- Property owners – Owners of certain properties, such as hotels or office buildings, may have a legal duty to install and maintain security measures for their premises. That can include installing locks on gates, doors, and windows, having proper lighting such as in stairwells and parking lots and garages, using security cameras and alarms, conducting background checks on employees, and hiring trained security personnel.
- Tenants – Depending on the terms of their lease, tenants of a residential or commercial property may be responsible for installing and maintaining security equipment like locks, security cameras, and motion-sensing exterior lights.
- Businesses – Businesses should also have reasonable measures to protect employees and customers. That can include having automatic exterior locks, keycard-controlled doors to employee-only areas, surveillance cameras, and safes to store cash and other sensitive materials. Some businesses may also hire security personnel to protect the premises and deter or respond to criminal activity.
- Property management companies – Apartment and townhome complexes or gated communities should also have security measures to ensure that the complex or community can only be accessed by residents, their guests, and other authorized parties. That can include having lockable gates, guardhouses, and security patrols.
- Event organizers – Concerts, festivals, and sporting events typically hire security personnel to deter or respond to threats to attendees. Event organizers may also have metal detectors and search attendees at the entrance to prevent contraband or weapons from getting inside the event.
Common Forms of Negligent Security
The particular forms of security that a property requires will depend on various factors, such as the crime rate of the area, any history of criminal or violent activity at the property, and whether the nature of the property might attract criminal or violent behavior.
Retail establishments, bars and clubs, music and sporting venues, and residential complexes may need to implement some forms of security measures on their premises. Failure to have reasonable and functional security measures may constitute negligent security.
Examples of negligent security by property or business owners include:
- Inadequate lighting or broken, burnt-out lights
- Gates, doors, or windows left open\
- Broken locks or lack of locks
- Broken or missing security cameras or alarms
- Lack of emergency exits
- Lack of security personnel or inadequately trained personnel
Injuries Associated with Negligent Security Cases
Negligent security can cause innocent people to suffer severe injuries, such as:
- Lacerations
- Contusions (bruising)
- Stab wounds and gunshot wounds
- Broken bones ligament, tendon, and muscle injuries
- Internal injuries and internal bleeding
- Spinal injuries and paralysis
- Crush injuries
- Suffocation injuries, including brain damage from lack of oxygen
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Mental injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
What Is the Statute of Limitations to File a Negligent Security Case in Golden?
The statute of limitations on negligent security cases is established by §13-80-102 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. Under Colorado law, you have only two years from the date you suffered an injury due to negligent security at someone else’s property to file a lawsuit against the property or business owner. If you file suit after the statute of limitations expires on your negligent security claim, the property or business owner can move to dismiss your case from court. Should that happen, you would likely lose the opportunity to pursue financial recovery for your injuries and losses.
Who Should I Contact If I Am Injured Due to Negligent Security?
If you were hurt on someone else’s property because they failed to provide reasonable security on their premises, that person or business could owe you compensation. Contact Olson Law Firm, LLC, today for a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more about how a negligent security attorney in Golden, CO, can advocate for your interests and guide you through the claims process.