Tampa Negligent Security Lawye

Were you or a loved one a victim of a crime while on someone else’s property in Tampa, FL? You may be entitled to hold the property owner liable for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. A respected Tampa negligent security lawyer at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers can help you fight to protect your legal rights. 

We’ve been providing trusted legal advice to clients in the Tampa Bay area since 1992. Indeed, we’ve recovered more than 500 million dollars in compensation for injured parties.

Are you interested in exploring your legal options? Contact our law offices in Tampa, FL at (813) 222-8656 to schedule a free consultation today.

How Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers Can Help With My Negligent Security Claim in Tampa

How Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers Can Help With My Negligent Security Claim in Tampa

If you were a victim of a violent crime, financial compensation might be the last thing on your mind. While local police focus on putting your attacker behind bars, we can fight to make sure you have the financial protection you deserve.

Your injuries can have unexpected costs. Medical bills and daily expenses might be piling up,  but you may be unable to work because of physical or emotional trauma. Our Tampa injury attorneys can help you fight for the fair compensation you need to help you through this challenging time.

When you hire Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers, you’ll benefit from more than 28 years of experience as we:

  • Investigate to find evidence that supports your premises liability claim
  • Fight to recover the full range of damages available
  • Hire experts and specialists when needed
  • Handle all negotiations and communications with the insurance company and defense attorneys

Our Tampa personal injury attorneys will handle every aspect of your case with one goal in mind: maximizing your settlement award. Don’t hesitate to reach out for a free case review.

What is Negligent Security?

Negligent security is a type of premises liability. Property owners in Florida are required to take reasonable steps to keep visitors and customers safe. Depending upon the area, that could include taking adequate security measures.

Premises liability cases often involve slip and falls or trip and falls. However, cases involving negligent security usually arise from assault, sexual assault, or another violent crime.

Property owners who know about the risk of criminal activity and fail to reduce the risk can be held liable when others are hurt.

What is My Tampa Negligent Security Case Worth?

The first step in a negligent security case is proving that the property owner was responsible for your injuries. Like any car accident case, you then have to establish what your personal injury case is worth. 

There are numerous factors involved in putting a dollar value on your personal injury claim. Some of those factors include:

  • The type of injury
  • The cost, duration, and nature of your medical treatment
  • The impact of the injury on your career, education, and personal life
  • The nature of the property owner’s actions
  • Available liability insurance coverage

In limited cases, you may even be entitled to punitive damages.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Negligent Security?

Our Tampa negligent security attorneys at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers will fight tirelessly to recover the full range of damages you deserve after an accident. We’ll work to recover compensation for your economic damages and non-economic losses.

Available damages in your case might include:

Did you lose a loved one because a Tampa or St. Petersburg business failed to take adequate security measures? Our lawyers can also help you fight to recover compensation for wrongful death.

Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for Getting Hurt on Someone Else’s Property in Florida?

You should never be held responsible for someone else’s violent acts. However, the insurance company might blame you for failing to mitigate damages. Under Florida comparative fault laws, your damages can be reduced to account for anything you did to make your injuries worse.

If you’re facing these types of allegations, call an experienced injury lawyer right away. We’ll do everything we can to make sure you walk away with the maximum compensation possible.  

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All Injuries Caused by Negligent Security

Victims of violent crimes can suffer extreme and unpredictable injuries–on top of the emotional trauma caused by the attack. 

Common injuries caused by negligent security include:

Your attacker may or may not be facing criminal charges. Regardless, our Tampa premises liability lawyers can help you fight to recover damages for injuries or wrongful death in civil court. 

We Handle All Types of Negligent Security Claims in Tampa, Florida

Our law firm handles all types of negligent security cases in Tampa. As a result, we have a specialized understanding of these cases. That’s important because the security required can vary widely depending upon the circumstances.

Negligent security claims are often based on a property owner’s failure to:

  • Install adequate lighting
  • Issue adequate warning about dangerous conditions in the neighborhood
  • Respond to security alerts
  • Provide security guards
  • Install fences, gates, or security systems
  • Lock or secure gates
  • Install working security cameras, metal detectors, and other deterrents
  • Train employees to detect and respond to criminal activity 

Note that property owners in Tampa don’t always have to install security measures. They must provide such measures only if they know of a threat of criminal activity in the area. 

If there’s been crime in the area, or if a crime is foreseeable, the property owner is required to install proper security measures. Most owners in high-crime areas are required to take some type of action to prevent criminal activity.

Who Can Be Held Liable for Negligent Security?

Anyone whose actions could have prevented the criminal activity can be held responsible. 

At Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers, we handle negligent security cases involving:

  • Bars
  • Restaurants
  • Nightclubs
  • Pawnshops
  • Apartment complexes
  • Sports complexes
  • Music and entertainment venues
  • Schools
  • Nursing homes and hospitals
  • Office complexes
  • Parking lots and parking garages
  • Office buildings
  • Hotels 

Depending upon the type of establishment, minimum security standards may apply under Florida’s Convenience Business Security Act.

If you were hurt because of a property owner’s negligence, we can help you fight to hold that party accountable. Call our Tampa negligent security attorneys today to discuss your legal options.

How Do I Prove Negligent Security in Florida? 

To recover damages based on negligent security, you have to show that the property owner breached a duty of care and that you suffered injuries because of that breach. The responsibilities under that duty of care vary based on why you were on the property.

For example, homeowners aren’t required to take security measures to protect social guests (licensees). Business owners, on the other hand, are subject to a heightened duty of care. Landlords and commercial property owners also have a greater responsibility to protect the safety of tenants and guests.

Courts consider a number of different factors in determining whether a property owner offered inadequate security. Some of those factors include:

  • Any history of criminal activity in the neighborhood
  • Specific types of crimes that have happened nearby
  • Whether the business is likely to be targeted by criminals (banks, pawnshops, etc.)
  • Whether the business is likely to experience violence (bars, nightclubs, etc.)
  • The type of neighborhood 
  • Where the neighborhood is located

Business owners and landlords are only required to install reasonable security. However, what constitutes “reasonable security” can vary widely. For example, a nightclub owner in an inner-city neighborhood should typically install security measures that might not be necessary at a grocery store in the suburbs.

We’ll find the evidence to back up your case, such as:

  • Past police and accident reports
  • The business owner’s security records
  • Testimony from employees, staff, and neighbors
  • Crime maps of the area
  • Calls to law enforcement

Were you hurt because of unsafe conditions on someone else’s property? Call us today to get the legal advice you deserve.

How Long Do I Have to File a Negligent Security Lawsuit in Florida?

If you wait too long to take legal action, you run the risk of losing your right to compensation. In Florida, you have four years to file a personal injury lawsuit based on negligent security. 

The statute of limitations usually starts running on the day you get hurt. If you miss the deadline, you’ll be barred from recovering any compensation.

Contact a Tampa Negligent Security Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Were you attacked or injured at a business in Tampa? You may have a valid claim for negligent security. A Tampa negligent security lawyer at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers would be happy to evaluate your case. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.

Our Tampa, FL personal injury law firm also provides: