If you were injured during a robbery on commercial property, you may believe the property owner or the insurance carrier should reimburse you for medical expenses, lost wages during your recovery and the money or valuables you lost to the robber. They may have refused to do so. Nevertheless, that property owner might hold some responsibility for the incident if security was inadequate. Personal injury attorneys handle cases involving inadequate security, so you may want to contact a lawyer for a free consultation.
Premises Liability
The property owner may be responsible for your injury under the legal concept of premises liability. That concept involves being expected to keep the property safe for people who visit or work there.
Perhaps the most common example of a premises liability incident is when a person slips and falls on a wet floor or icy sidewalk. The property owner is legally responsible for keeping those areas safe for pedestrians, either by resolving the problem or by putting up warning signs.
Inadequate Security
Consider whether a lack of safeguards at this property could have led to the robbery incident. Were any of these problems in evidence?
- poorly lit parking lot areas at a business that stays open after dark
- few or no surveillance cameras to discourage criminal activity
- no roaming security guard in a higher-risk neighborhood or at night
If you aren't sure about all these aspects, your personal injury lawyer can arrange an investigation once you decide to hire the firm for legal representation.
The Investigation
An investigator will go to the property and evaluate the current security situation for flaws. They also may interview people who witnessed the robbery or were at the property at the time. They will look for individuals who know what security features were in place and learn whether the property owner has beefed up security since the robbery.
The legal team will analyze crime statistics for the area to determine whether the property owner should have paid better attention to security. They especially will want to know whether any robberies or other incidents had occurred at that place of business or in the immediate neighborhood before your assault.
Obtaining Compensation You Deserve
Don't give up without a fight. The property owner and the insurance carrier may state that only the criminal is responsible. They may even try to claim that you hold responsibility for the incident. These tactics are intended to convince you to back down. Instead, talk with a personal injury attorney, like those at The Law Offices of David B. Shapiro, about getting the compensation you deserve.
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