When you patronize a business establishment in Mississippi, such as a bank, restaurant or store, you justifiably presume that the store has taken adequate security precautions so that you will not be the victim of a violent crime. Unfortunately, this reasonable presumption is often mistaken as many patrons of Mississippi businesses find themselves victims of crimes because the business failed to take reasonable security precautions despite knowledge that criminal activity in the area might put customers at risk of suffering a violent attack. At Barrett Law, our experienced and committed team of Mississippi negligent security attorneys provides effective litigation strategies and persuasive advocacy to victims of negligent security by Mississippi businesses.
Mississippi premise liability law governs the issue of whether a business owner owns a duty of care and the scope of that duty toward patrons who are victims of violent crimes. Negligent security lawsuits are complicated because businesses do not have an absolute duty to make patrons safe from the intentional misconduct of third parties. Criminal activity committed by third parties on the business premises of a property may not be foreseeable or preventable, and business owners are not expected to function as virtual insurers of the safety of their customers. By the same token, the fact that a customer’s injuries are inflicted by the violent criminal attack of a third party does not necessarily relieve a business owner of liability to victims of violent crimes that occur on their property.
The key issue is foreseeability based on past criminal activity in the vicinity of the business. For example, a business located in an upscale area that has a virtually non-existent crime rate may only need to take minimal precautions or may even avoid liability for providing no security. However, the greater the crime rate and seriousness of the crimes committed in the vicinity of the business the greater the probability that a business will have an obligation to provide reasonable security measures. The reasonableness of these precautions must be evaluated in the context of the frequency and seriousness of criminal activity in the vicinity. If an area is a high crime rate area with a history of violent criminal assaults, a business may be expected to provide armed security. The extent of the precautions required is a question for the jury so it is imperative that you are represented by a Mississippi law firm that has substantial experience handling negligent security lawsuits in Mississippi.
Our Mississippi negligent security lawyers at Barrett Law understand the challenges associated with Mississippi negligent security lawsuits. We often engage experts to conduct an investigation regarding criminal patterns in the neighborhood. We use security experts to analyze these crime patterns and evaluate the appropriateness of security measures given the pattern of crime. Our experienced Mississippi negligent security attorneys can handle negligent security cases based on a variety of violent crimes including:
- Rapes and sexual assaults
- Physical assault and battery
- Robbery
- Stabbings
- Gunshot injuries
If you or your loved one is injured by a violent crime committed by a third party on business premises, our experienced Mississippi negligent security lawyers may be able to help you seek compensation for your injuries. When you suffer injuries caused by a violent crime, the perpetrator may lack the financial ability to pay a Mississippi personal injury judgment so it is critical to establish third party liability. The experienced Mississippi negligent security attorneys at Barrett Law have been providing tenacious representation to victims of violent assaults for over 75 years. We provide diligent legal representation and impassioned advocacy so we invite you to call us today at 662-834-2376 to learn how we can help.