Negligent Security at Apartments

Owning an apartment building can be a lucrative business, but it comes with responsibilities. Specifically, the people and entities that own apartments have a duty to provide a safe environment for their renters and other people who lawfully enter their properties, which includes providing adequate security. Negligent security at apartments often leads to criminal activity and significant injuries. If you suffered harm due to negligent security at an apartment, the owner of the apartment building may be liable for your damages. At The Grife Law Firm, our experienced Boca Raton negligent security lawyers can assess the circumstances surrounding your injuries and advise you on your options for seeking compensation.

Apartment building owners have a duty to take measures to make their buildings safe, which includes providing appropriate security measures. Adequate security can include a doorman, a gated property, and sufficient lighting in the parking lot, lobby, and any common hallways. In some cases, an apartment building owner may also need to hire security guards to monitor the property and discourage criminal activity. Additionally, the owner of an apartment building will often hire a third party, such as a security company, to oversee security in the building. When a property owner negligently fails to provide adequate security, this can increase the likelihood of a crime being committed, especially in areas that experience a high rate of crime. Examples of crimes that are often committed due to negligent security include assault, rape, burglary, and robbery.

A person who suffers harm due to negligent security at an apartment may be able to recover damages via a civil lawsuit. In Florida, a plaintiff seeking damages in a negligent security lawsuit must first establish that the defendant apartment owner had a duty to provide security measures. Typically, this will require the plaintiff and their attorney to show that the defendant knew or should have known of the dangers presented by a failure to provide adequate security. The plaintiff must then show that the defendant breached the duty owed by failing to provide security sufficient to prevent the plaintiff’s harm. Lastly, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant’s breach of the duty to prevent foreseeable harm was the proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injuries.

In some negligent security cases, there may be more than one party liable for the plaintiff’s harm. For example, if the apartment building owner hired a security company to provide security, the security company may be named as a defendant along with the apartment building owner. In cases involving multiple defendants, Florida Statutes Section 768.81(3) provides that judgment will be entered against each party based on their percentage of fault. Additionally, depending on the facts of the case, a defendant in a negligent security lawsuit may attempt to divert blame to the plaintiff to avoid liability. Under Florida Statutes Section 768.81(2), however, even if a plaintiff in a negligence action is partially at fault for his or her own harm, he or she may still be awarded damages. They will merely be diminished in proportion to his or her fault.

Renters should be able to live in apartments without fear that they will be harmed by criminal activity, and other people should be able to visit the property safely. If you were injured due to your landlord’s failure to provide adequate security, you may be able to recover damages in a civil lawsuit, and you should speak with an attorney. The skillful personal injury attorneys at The Grife Law Firm are well-versed in what it will take to prove negligent security at apartments, and we can zealously advocate on your behalf. Our office is in Boca Raton, and we also assist people in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Miami. You can contact us through our form online or at 855-998-0770 to set up a meeting.