Under Georgia law, apartment building owners must ensure the safety of their property to the best of their abilities. However, when these property owners cut corners, they may put the lives of their tenants at immediate risk of harm. At Marks Law Group, our experienced negligent security lawyers have vast experience helping crime victims recover the financial compensation they deserve to cover their medical expenses, property damage, and other financial losses.
Although any apartment complex owner can be at fault for any accident on his or her property, negligent security claims involving incidents at apartments, shopping malls, hotels, shopping centers are complex. So, you should hire an experienced Atlanta apartment complex violence lawyer as soon as possible to help you with your case.
If you have questions, our experienced attorneys are ready to answer them and take aggressive action on your behalf. For a free initial consultation, contact our Decatur law office today at (678) 251-9309.
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Unsafe Apartment Complexes
According to Georgia law, all owners of businesses and other property must protect their tenants and customers from unreasonable dangers. Apartment complex owners are required to take minimum steps to learn about dangerous conditions and to rectify those dangers so that the tenants who lease their apartments aren't hurt. However, when these businesses and apartment complexes don't take reasonable steps to eliminate the unsafe condition or if someone is severely injured or killed, there is a potential negligent security claim because of inadequate security.
The most common types of attacks involving apartment complexes include assaults and shootings. Reports of rape or sexual assault and shootings at apartments and in parking lots are, sadly, common and disturbing.
If the owner of the apartment complex had exercised a reasonable duty of care, many of these crimes would have been avoided. Often, the attacker is a resident of the apartment complex or a guest of a resident, or the attack came onto the apartment grounds as a trespasser.
If the attacker lived at the apartment complex, it may be challenging for us to prove that increased security measures could have prevented the attack from happening. Thus, such a case requires a great deal of investigation.
How Landlords Can Prevent Attacks?
In Georgia, property security is regulated by Georgia premises liability law. This law states t that property owners and managers can be held responsible for any bodily injuries resulting from the dangerous condition of a property. There are accepted standards for supervision of grounds, functional room locks, adequate lighting, and other safety measures.
Often, apartment complex violence cases may arise from a failure to:
- Install security cameras and video cameras;
- Hire security guards;
- Erect security gates;
- Run regular criminal background checks on tenants or employees;
- Restrict access to a building or install door locks;
- Erect a security fence, such as around a swimming pool; and
- Establish proper security practices and policies.
Injuries suffered because of negligent security are more traumatic than ordinary premises liability injuries. Typically, a negligent security lawsuit involves intentional acts of harm that could have been prevented.
When Attacker is a Trespasser?
In any negligent security case involving an assault at an apartment complex, our Atlanta apartment complex violence lawyers investigate to determine if there were previous crimes or previous victims. We ask the following questions during our investigation:
- Have other attacks occurred on the apartment complex, including sexual assaults, shootings, and other violent crimes?
- Did the apartment complex implement ordinary care to protect its tenants from previous violent crimes?
According to Georgia courts, previous property crimes are sign of future crimes against a person.
We often hire security experts to prove that the apartment complex breached the standard of care by not having adequate security when necessary or by lack of security.
What Are My Rights if I Was Sexually Assaulted or Shot at While at an Apartment Complex or Commercial Property in Decatur, Georgia?
No amount of financial compensation can take away this terrible violation that happened to you. However, you can pursue a civil case to help pay for medical bills, pain and suffering, and time lost from work or school.
You can expect justice from the Georgia criminal system. But you can also seek restitution for this terrible event. However, the criminal case may feel out of control because the state is in charge, not you. But in a civil case, you can pursue a financial sort of justice and you can recover financial compensation to cover your medical costs, pain and suffering, lost income, and other financial damages.
At Marks Law Group, our sexual assault attorneys can help you with your civil case even before your criminal case is fully processed. Contact our experienced personal injury lawyers today to schedule a free initial consultation.
What are the Conditions for Suing an Apartment Complex or Other Business for Negligence in Atlanta?
Knowing how to sue an apartment complex or other business for negligence starts with understanding what's negligence in a premise liability lawsuit. As well as conditions at certain apartment complexes and hotels, and other establishments, such as shopping malls, gas stations, nursing homes, restaurants, and healthcare facilities. These places experience frequent violent attacks because the criminals are unlikely to be detected during the crime, or being caught after the crime.
Often, these “crimes of opportunity” occur because the apartment complex owner hasn't done enough to make their premises safe. For instance, criminal attacks are often committed in unsafe premises with missing or broken security gates, unmonitored or poorly patrolled parking lots, defective locks, inadequate lighting, and improperly secured buildings. Many of these violent crimes would have been prevented if there were reasonable measures in place.
Further, if an assault is committed by a company’s employee while on the job, the company is legally responsible for personal injuries caused by its employee. This is especially true if the company didn't conduct standard background checks or didn't respond to warnings or complaints about the employee.
Not every serious criminal attack falls under premises liability, but failure to take proper security measures to prevent a crime may render the property owner liable for the injuries to the victim. If you sustained bodily injuries because of a business or property owner’s negligence, you can sue the owner for damages with the help of our Atlanta crime injury lawyers.
Is there a Time Limit to File a Legal claim in a Sexual Assault, Rape, or Shooting in Atlanta?
Typically, there is a two-year time limit after a personal injury to file a lawsuit and pursue a personal injury claim. However, for children, the statute of limitations is two years after they turn 18 years old. But there are shorter time limits sometimes.
Thus, it's essential to file a personal injury lawsuit as soon as possible after the assault. Personal injury and premises liability claims are fact-driven and witness-driven cases. Thus, if you're involved in a violent assault, call the police and then call an apartment complex violence lawyer as soon as possible.
You don't have to wait until after a criminal trial to file a personal injury claim. These are two different cases. One is the attacker versus the State of Georgia case, while the other is a civil claim where the crime victim can file claims against the responsible party.
My Child was Molested and Sexually Abused at Our Apartment Complex in Atlanta, What Should I Do?
Just like when an adult was attacked, our legal advice is the same: Call the police. Seek proper medical treatment and then contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
Children must be protected from molestation and sexual abuse. Once their trust in the world is broken, they often suffer devastating and long-term effects, including self-destructive and anxiety-related behavior. Thus, make sure your child gets the proper long-term treatment. At Marks Law Group, our personal injury attorneys can help you and your child get the help you need.
Call Our Experienced Atlanta Apartment Complex Violence Lawyers Today for Legal Advice!
Negligent security of an apartment complex, parking lot, storage facility, or other property can cause violent crimes or other destructive actions. When an apartment complex or business owner using the space doesn't keep the premises safe, this can cause dangerous conditions and other types of criminal behavior. A negligent security case may involve a store patron or hotel guest who becomes a victim of rape or sexual assault while using a bathroom. These devastating events could have been prevented. At Marks Law Group, we fight for justice on behalf of our clients.
Every negligent security victim wants to see that the law applies fairly to all, not just to big insurance companies and corporations. At Marks Law Group, we offer aggressive legal representation for all personal injury victims. Contact us today at (678) 251-9309 to schedule a free initial consultation.