Inadequate Security

When a property owner ignores obvious security risks — broken locks, missing cameras, unlit parking lots, a documented history of crime — and someone is assaulted, robbed, or worse, the law allows the victim to hold that owner accountable. These cases are called negligent or inadequate security claims, and they are some of the most important premises liability cases we handle at Maples, Connick & Brendel.

What Makes Security “Inadequate”

Property owners don’t have to guarantee safety, but they do have to take reasonable steps to protect people from foreseeable harm. What’s reasonable depends on the property, the neighborhood, and the history of incidents on or near the premises. Common signs that security was inadequate include:

• Broken, missing, or non-functioning door locks and gate access systems
• Surveillance cameras that don’t work or were never installed where they should be
• Burned-out lights in parking lots, garages, stairwells, and walkways
• No on-site security where the crime history clearly called for it
• Untrained or unsupervised security personnel
• Ignored complaints from tenants, employees, or prior victims

Where These Cases Happen

Inadequate security claims often involve apartment complexes, hotels and motels, parking garages, shopping centers, bars and nightclubs, gas stations, and convenience stores. In each setting, the question is the same: did the owner know — or should they have known — that this kind of harm could happen, and did they take reasonable steps to prevent it?

Proving the Owner Was on Notice

The heart of every inadequate security case is “foreseeability.” We pull police call logs, prior incident reports, news coverage, and tenant complaints to show the property had a known crime problem. We also bring in security experts who can testify to what reasonable measures would have prevented the assault. Insurance companies fight these cases hard, and the documentation we gather early often makes the difference.

Talk to an Inadequate Security Attorney

If you or a loved one was attacked on someone else’s property, you may have a claim against the owner — not just the attacker. Call 504-269-3870 for a free, confidential consultation, or read more about our Premises Liability practice.