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What Damages Can I Recover in a Negligent Security Case in Mississippi?

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Legal Insight from Mississippi Injury Attorney Jonathan Barrett of Barrett Law, PLLC

You shouldn’t have to worry about getting hurt or losing a loved one due to crime when visiting a shopping mall, staying at a hotel, working a late shift, or living in your apartment complex. But when property owners fail to provide proper security, innocent people pay the price. Assaults, shootings, robberies, and even homicides can and do happen—often because a business or landlord cut corners on safety.

As a Mississippi apartment injury attorney with decades of experience handling negligent security claims, I’ve seen firsthand how lives are changed in an instant. Victims suffer from serious injuries, emotional trauma, financial stress, and in the worst cases, the death of a loved one. If you’re asking what kind of damages you can recover in a negligent security case in Mississippi, you’ve come to the right place.

At Barrett Law, PLLC, we focus on helping Mississippi families get the justice and compensation they deserve. Whether your case involves an apartment complex in Jackson, a hotel in Biloxi, or a parking lot in Gulfport, I’m here to help you understand your rights, evaluate your claim, and fight for what you’re owed.

Understanding Mississippi Negligent Security Claims

When someone is harmed because a property owner failed to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable criminal activity, that falls under what’s known as a negligent security case. These incidents happen everywhere—apartment buildings, hotels, workplaces, malls, convenience stores, nightclubs, and gas stations.

If a landlord or business owner knew—or should have known—about prior crimes or ongoing risks and failed to act, they may be legally responsible under Mississippi premises liability law. These cases aren’t just about a broken lock or a burned-out light. They’re about proving that safety measures were missing or ignored when people needed them most.

At Barrett Law, we help clients prove just that.

What Types of Damages Can You Recover?

Victims of negligent security can pursue compensation through a civil lawsuit. Mississippi law allows plaintiffs to seek both economic and non-economic damages. In some cases, punitive damages may also be available.

Here’s what we often help clients recover:

Medical Expenses

After a violent crime, medical costs can skyrocket. From ER bills to surgery to physical therapy, we work to recover:

  • Ambulance and emergency room fees

  • Hospital stays and surgeries

  • Prescription medications

  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation

  • Future or ongoing care needs

Lost Wages and Loss of Future Earnings

If you’re unable to work due to your injuries, we pursue damages for:

  • Past and current lost income

  • Reduced ability to earn in the future

  • Job retraining or career loss

Pain and Suffering

These damages address the physical and emotional toll of what you’ve been through:

  • Chronic pain

  • Emotional distress

  • PTSD

  • Anxiety or depression

  • Sleep disturbances

Wrongful Death Damages

For families who’ve lost a loved one, we pursue:

  • Funeral and burial costs

  • Loss of companionship and support

  • Lost income the deceased would have earned

  • Emotional pain of surviving family members

Property Damage

In assaults or robberies, victims may also experience stolen or damaged property—cell phones, vehicles, wallets, or jewelry. These can be claimed as part of your case.

Punitive Damages

Under Mississippi Code § 11-1-65, punitive damages may be available if the defendant’s conduct involved actual malice or gross negligence. In negligent security cases, this might apply where a business blatantly ignored known threats or refused to address serious safety failures.

Who Is Affected by Negligent Security?

Negligent security incidents affect people from all walks of life. We’ve represented:

  • Apartment residents attacked in unsecured stairwells

  • Hotel guests assaulted due to broken locks

  • Shoppers shot in poorly lit parking lots

  • Workers robbed on duty with no security presence

  • Delivery drivers ambushed in unsafe complexes

What they all have in common is this: they trusted a property to be reasonably safe. When that trust is broken, their lives change forever. At Barrett Law, we understand how trauma like this ripples through a family. We’re here to support you, guide you, and fight for full compensation every step of the way.

Mississippi’s Legal Standards and Statutes on Premises Liability

Mississippi law holds property owners and managers responsible for maintaining reasonably safe conditions. This includes protecting guests, tenants, and customers from foreseeable criminal acts.

Relevant legal doctrines include:

  • Mississippi Premises Liability Law: Under Mississippi case law (e.g., Double Quick, Inc. v. Moore, 73 So.3d 1162), property owners may be liable for injuries from criminal acts if they failed to take reasonable safety precautions.

  • Foreseeability Standard: Mississippi courts often examine whether similar crimes occurred on or near the property, making future incidents reasonably foreseeable.

  • Duty of Care: Landlords, employers, and business owners have a duty to provide adequate lighting, security personnel, surveillance, functional locks, and access control where needed.

There’s no one-size-fits-all rule, but failure to act on known risks—especially after prior crimes—can expose a property owner to liability. That’s where an experienced apartment injury lawyer becomes crucial.

How Barrett Law, PLLC Builds Your Case

Negligent security lawsuits often require detailed investigation. We work with crime scene experts, private investigators, and medical professionals to build strong cases. Here’s how we help:

  • Collecting Evidence: Surveillance footage, crime reports, police records, maintenance logs, and witness statements

  • Establishing Foreseeability: Proving the property had prior incidents or knew of risks

  • Calculating Damages: Working with financial and medical experts to determine full economic and non-economic losses

  • Filing on Time: Mississippi’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is 3 years under Miss. Code § 15-1-49. For wrongful death, the deadline is generally 3 years from the date of death.

  • Litigating Aggressively: If a fair settlement isn’t offered, we prepare every case for trial from day one

Practical Tips for Victims of Negligent Security

If you or a loved one has been hurt on someone else’s property, here’s what to do right away:

  • Call 911 and seek medical attention even if injuries seem minor

  • Get a copy of the police report for your records

  • Take photos or videos of the scene, lighting, locks, and any security cameras

  • Gather witness information, including names and contact details

  • Avoid speaking to the property’s insurance company until you consult an attorney

  • Contact Barrett Law, PLLC to protect your rights

Acting quickly helps preserve crucial evidence and strengthens your claim.

FAQs – Mississippi Negligent Security and Apartment Injury Claims

What qualifies as negligent security in Mississippi?

Negligent security occurs when a property owner fails to take reasonable steps to prevent criminal activity—like not fixing broken gates, ignoring prior incidents, or refusing to hire security in high-crime areas. When that failure leads to injury or death, a civil claim may be possible.

Can I sue my apartment complex for being assaulted?

Yes. If your apartment complex had poor lighting, broken locks, no cameras, or failed to respond to previous crimes, you may have a valid claim. These cases often depend on proving the attack was foreseeable and preventable.

Do I need to show the property owner knew about crime in the area?

Usually, yes. You must show that the crime was foreseeable. This can be done by proving similar incidents happened previously on or near the property and the owner failed to act.

How much is a negligent security case worth in Mississippi?

The value of your case depends on your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and the circumstances of the attack. Severe or fatal injuries tend to result in larger awards. Punitive damages may increase the total if gross negligence is proven.

How long do I have to file a lawsuit?

Under Mississippi Code § 15-1-49, most personal injury and negligent security lawsuits must be filed within 3 years of the incident. Don’t wait—key evidence can disappear quickly.

What if I was partially at fault?

Mississippi uses a pure comparative fault system. That means you can still recover damages even if you were partially at fault—your compensation will simply be reduced by your percentage of fault.

What types of properties can be held liable?

Apartment complexes, hotels, shopping centers, bars, clubs, convenience stores, workplaces, and parking garages may all be held liable if they failed to provide adequate security.

Can I sue if my family member was killed?

Yes. If a loved one died due to negligent security, surviving family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit for financial losses, emotional suffering, and funeral expenses.

What’s the difference between criminal and civil cases?

A criminal case is brought by the state to punish the offender. A civil lawsuit is filed by the victim or their family to recover money damages. Even if the attacker is never caught, you can still sue the property owner.

Will I have to go to trial?

Not necessarily. Many cases settle before trial. But Barrett Law prepares every case as if it’s going to court. That preparation helps us secure better settlements—and win in front of a jury if necessary.

Harmed on an apartment complex in Mississippi?

Call Mississippi apartment injury claim Attorney Jonathan Barrett 24/7/365 at (601) 790-1505 for Your FREE Consultation

Barrett Law, PLLC proudly represents injured individuals and grieving families throughout the entire state of Mississippi. Whether your case involves an apartment complex in Jackson, a hotel in Hattiesburg, or a retail parking lot in Gulfport, we are ready to fight for you. We handle claims from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Central Mississippi, Southern Mississippi, and Northern Mississippi, including the cities of Jackson, Gulfport, Southaven, Hattiesburg, Biloxi, Olive Branch, Tupelo, Meridian, Pearl, Madison, Greenville, Oxford, Clinton, Horn Lake, and Brandon.

You don’t have to take on a negligent landlord, hotel, or business alone. Let our law firm stand with you and demand accountability. Call now to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation. We’re here to listen—day or night.

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