A negligent security claim alleges that criminal conduct on the property was foreseeable and that reasonable security measures would have prevented it. Measures at issue include lighting, cameras, access control, and security personnel.
The threshold question is foreseeability, most commonly established through prior similar incidents on or near the property.
Alternative Names:
Inadequate Security, Premises Security Liability
Why it Matters?
These are high-exposure premises cases because the injuries are typically severe and juries respond to evidence that an owner knew of prior violence and did nothing. Discovery focuses on incident histories, police call records for the address, security assessments, and internal recommendations that were not funded. A budget document declining a recommended security upgrade is among the most damaging exhibits available.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
How is foreseeability of crime established?
Does a criminal act break the causal chain?
