In recent days, I have watched with interest as attorneys begin to file cases on behalf of people tragically gunned down in Las Vegas last year by a gunman firing from a window in the Mandalay Bay Casino. The theory of these cases that are now percolating up is that the casino was negligent in how it provided security. You may ask yourself whether that means that a hotel or landowner may be liable anytime something tragic happens on his or her property. No, negligence does not just mean that something terrible happened on a business owners or landowner’s property, it means that you failed to take adequate precautions to prevent or minimize a threat you reasonably should have anticipated. As I will discuss further below, the degree to which the landowner or business owner should have expected the danger is the key to a negligent security case.
If you have sustained an injury as a result of a landowner’s failure to provide adequate security, you must hire experienced counsel to help you attain your fair share of compensation for your pain, trauma, loss of income ,and injuries. Barrett Law has the experience to help you if you have been injured. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
Negligent Security
A negligent security case in Mississippi means that a landowner invites you onto his property to conduct business, such as shopping or lodging, or as a guest. Once you are on the property, the landowner fails to reasonably protect you from injury. Reasonableness in this context means that he or she fails to protect you from a danger that he or she knew or should have known about. The responsibility to protect visitors includes creating an environment that deters criminal activity.
Negligent Security Examples
Property owners must take reasonable steps to prevent injuries to those they invite onto their property. This is true for homeowners with aggressive dogs that could harm someone entering their yard, and it is true for business owners with dangerous elements on their property. Business owners must protect anyone on their property, whether employee or customer, from preventable harm. Negligent security is when there are obvious risks that the business owner could have reduced by implementing proper safety and security measures, including poor lighting in parking lots, stairwells and other areas on the property; failing to install security cameras or other criminal deterrent devices; failing to install warning signs to alert customers of criminal or other dangerous behavior; lack of safety features like locking doors; failing to have a security presence in high-crime areas.
Again, not all crimes can be prevented. That said, to prove a negligent security case in court, your personal injury counsel will show that a business owner or landowner did not provide adequate protection for known risks. I mentioned the Mandalay Bay Casino case above. The reason I brought it up is that evidence may have emerged that before the 2017 shooting, another gunman brought an arsenal of weapons into the casino but was thwarted. As a result, victims’ counsel in that case will likely argue that Mandalay Bay knew or should have known that its casino was likely to be used for a shooting in the future. As a result, the casino’s failure to increase security in the face of known risk was unreasonable and negligent.
What Should You Do If You or a Loved One Has Been Injured Due to Negligent Security?
If you or a loved one was injured due to negligent security, you might have a viable personal injury claim for your injuries, any time you have been out of work, the costs of your treatment and rehabilitation, your pain and suffering, and other damages. This is my area of expertise. Let me take care of organizing your bills, attaining statements from expert witnesses, and dealing with the other party’s attorneys. These are just a few of the critical, complex tasks that a personal injury attorney will handle for you while you concentrate on healing and getting back on your feet again.
Call Barrett Law now, an experienced Mississippi personal injury law firm, to represent you if you have suffered an injury. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577. Mississippi Personal Injury Attorney looks forward to making a difference for you!