Philadelphia Negligent Security Lawyer

Pennsylvania law requires property owners to maintain safe premises for visitors. This also includes protecting visitors from third-party crime. When you go to the store, head to the movie theater, send your kids to school, or visit other locations, you have a reasonable expectation that you and the ones you love will safely return. Without proper security measures and practices in place, property owners put visitors at risk for assault, rape, and other violent crimes.

If you suffered preventable injuries in the Greater Philadelphia area because of inadequate security, you have the legal right to take action against the property owner. The skilled Philadelphia negligent security lawyers at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers understand the trauma you went through and the challenges you face in the coming weeks and months.

We are here to help. Our personal injury lawyers proudly serve victims of negligent security in Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss the details of your case and learn about the best course of action to recover damages related to your injuries.

Why Choose the Levin Firm

The experienced legal team at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers has helped victims of negligence fight for compensation since 2005. Their commitment to client service and seeking justice has led to millions of dollars in recovered damages in settlement agreements and jury verdicts. The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers has been nationally recognized by Super Lawyers and maintains a stellar rating at Avvo.com.

If you suffered injuries because of a negligent property owner, let our Philadelphia negligent security lawyers handle the details of your claim while you focus on healing and rehabilitation. The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers’s Philadelphia offices are located conveniently downtown at Two Penn Center, right across from Love Park and around the corner from the 15th St. Trolley Station.

Contact us today at 215-825-5183 for a free consultation to discuss the event that led to your injuries. No matter where you are injured, we are here to help. We would love to meet you in person, but we understand this isn’t always possible. We offer virtual meetings for convenience or can meet you at the hospital if you cannot travel to us.

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Negligent Security Compensation

Pennsylvania law entitles you to seek compensation for damages related to injuries you incurred due to negligent security. A Philadelphia negligent security lawyer can evaluate your situation and determine your eligibility to recover damages.

If you have a viable negligent security claim, you can seek compensation for:

• Medical treatment costs, including ambulance service, emergency room services, hospital stay, diagnostic testing, X-rays, surgery, medication, follow-up doctor visits, and transportation costs to and from your appointments
• Estimated future medical expenses when a victim of negligent security suffers permanent injuries requiring ongoing care and treatment
• Rehabilitation costs for physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychotherapy, and other specialized treatment that helps injured victims cope with the physical and emotional aftermath of their injuries
• Lost wages from missing work due to injuries, hospital stay, and rehabilitation
• Lost earning capacity when injuries from negligent security practices lead to catastrophic injuries that prevent a victim from returning to work
• Physical pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Loss of consortium with a spouse
• Loss of support

Several factors impact the amount of compensation you might receive in a settlement agreement or jury award.

They include:

Nature and Severity of Injuries

Those who suffer severe injuries typically receive more compensation. This is especially true for those that suffer permanent injuries. Additionally, injuries that leave scars in highly visible places are usually worth more. For example, if your attacker cut your face with a knife, leaving a permanent score, you could receive more money than a cut on your back or even a broken arm.

Amount of Economic Loss

The amount of economic loss a victim of negligent security incurs is directly related to the severity of their injuries. More severe injuries require more medical treatment and more time away from work, increasing medical expenses and lost wages.

The most severe injuries sometimes come with other major expenses such as long-term nursing care, home modifications, and household help for cleaning, childcare, lawn care, etc. As economic loss increases, so does the value of a claim.

Legal Representation

Some victims of negligent security choose to go it alone instead of hiring a lawyer to advocate for them. Insurance companies have a leg up in these situations because many do not know the true value of their claim or understand how to apply the law to receive the maximum compensation for their injuries.

Those who hire a negligent security lawyer have someone in their corner to build a solid case against the negligent property owner responsible for their injuries. They often find insurance companies take them more seriously.

Statute of Limitations in Philadelphia Negligent Security Claims

Under Pennsylvania law, victims of negligent security in Philadelphia have two years to bring a lawsuit against the property owner liable for their injuries. Philadelphia courts must strictly comply with the statute of limitations, so failure to meet the deadline typically ensures victims lose the chance to seek compensation for damages related to their injuries. The law does allow for rare exceptions. For example, sometimes serious injuries make it difficult for victims to meet the two-year deadline.

If you are concerned about a looming statute of limitations after sustaining injuries because of negligent security, it’s best to consult with The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers as soon as possible. One of our team members can evaluate the circumstances of your case and advise you on the best course of action to seek compensation.

Locations Where Negligent Security Can Occur Philadelphia

The concept of security varies based on location and situation. However, property owners have a legal duty to protect visitors to their property. Some assume that security measures only matter in high crime neighborhoods, such as Tioga-Nicetown and Alleghany West. This is not the case; security matters even in the safest neighborhoods, especially in locations where criminal acts might occur.

Negligent security occurs at a wide range of locations.

Locations that could give rise to a Philadelphia negligent security claim include:

• Apartment buildings
• Office buildings
• Schools and college campuses
• Shopping malls
• Hotels and motels
• Airports and SEPTA stations
• Theme parks
• Casinos
• Churches, synagogues, and mosques
• Banks
• Hospitals
• Concert and sports venues like Lincoln Financial Field and Franklin Field

Attacks, stampedes, fights, and other injury-causing events also occur in the parking lots, parking garages, and other outdoor spaces connected to a specific venue.

Causes of Negligent Security

On the broadest level, negligent security refers to the failure of a property or business owner to provide reasonable and adequate security for visitors. Keeping property secure includes keeping visitors safe from third-party crime, especially when an owner can foresee certain crimes. Some properties lie in high-crime areas, but other properties are frequently targeted by criminals even if they lie in a relatively safe neighborhood.

Nothing can 100 percent guarantee that a visitor will not fall victim to third-party crime, but owners must protect guests and patrons from severe and fatal injuries by providing a reasonable level of security. Failure to comply opens them up to liability for damages when visitors suffer injuries.

Causes of negligent security include:

Inadequate Security Measures

Property owners can use a wide range of measures to increase security, including:

• Adequate lighting in public spaces, parking garages, and parking lots
• Gated entry to a complex or building, which could require a code or keycard
• Security guards
• Alarm systems
• Locks
• Surveillance cameras
• Fences

Different types of properties and structures require different security measures. Property owners are responsible for implementing the measures that work best for their property.

Malfunctioning Security Equipment

Property and business owners must also regularly inspect security equipment to ensure everything runs correctly. Broken or malfunctioning equipment puts visitors at risk. Something as simple as a broken or burned-out light bulb can make it easier for a criminal to target someone.

Examples of other security equipment issues that could lead to a negligent security claim include:

• Broken locks
• Holes in security fences or gates
• Faulty security cameras
• Absent security guards
• Broken alarm systems

Failure to Respond to Crime Reports

In certain situations, property owners receive information that indicates potential problems. For example, an owner might learn of a nearby theft, rape, murder, or another event. They might also receive reports from residential or business tenants of abnormal activity, broken locks and windows, or missing personal property.

The owner must take reasonable precautions and increase security measures when they learn of this type of information. Failure to comply puts tenants, visitors, and patrons at risk for additional severe injuries.

Poorly Trained Security Personnel

Apartment buildings, office buildings, shopping malls, and other businesses that rely on security guards and personnel need to train their employees properly. Inattentive guards and other employees do not perform their job correctly, putting people at risk for third-party criminal acts. People can also suffer injuries from non-criminal acts, such as a stampede at a crowded public event, when security personnel does not perform their jobs adequately.

Fighting the Insurance Company After Negligent Security Injuries

Insurance companies always try to deny and devalue claims. In negligent security cases, they will do everything they can to blame the victim or the third-party criminal. Immediately after an incident, the insurance company will want you to give a recorded statement. They will comb through your statement, looking for ways to use your words against you and justify their decision on your claim.

The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers understands these questionable tactics and faces insurance companies head-on to fight for victims of negligent security. Your lawyer will make sure you don’t give a recorded statement and ensure that you only provide the insurance company with the information they need. Insurance companies also like to use lease agreements, waivers, and posted warnings to deny claims. Even if you’ve signed something assuming the risk of injury, it doesn’t automatically mean a property owner is not responsible.

It’s difficult to get compensation after suffering injuries, but the skilled legal team at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers is dedicated to holding negligent property owners accountable for their apathy and failures. Additionally, our lawyers are trained negotiators, and we can often elicit a better financial outcome for a case than a client could do on their own.

Let The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers Help You Seek Justice After Your Injuries

Negligent security typically translates to violent crime. Our compassionate team understands that you are coping with emotional trauma related to the crime that caused your injuries, which might include facing multiple fears. You deserve justice, but you need to heal. Let one of our skilled Philadelphia negligent security lawyers handle the details of your case while you heal from your physical injuries and continue with therapy.

Contact The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers today online or at (215) 825-5183 to tell us your story and learn more about how our Philadelphia negligent security lawyers can help you seek compensation for damages related to your injuries.