Chicago Negligent Security Lawyer

When property owners fail to provide reasonable security, innocent people can become victims of violent crimes that could have been prevented. If you were assaulted, robbed, or otherwise injured because of inadequate security on someone else's property, you may have the right to pursue compensation through a premises liability claim.

A Chicago negligent security lawyer at Conboy Law can investigate your case, identify every liable party, and fight for the compensation you deserve. Call (312) 376-4291 today for a free consultation.

Why Choose Conboy Law for Your Negligent Security Case?

After a violent crime, you deserve a legal team that understands how negligent security cases work and knows how to hold property owners accountable. At Conboy Law, we thoroughly investigate every case, preserve critical evidence, and aggressively pursue the maximum compensation available under Illinois law.

We Investigate Every Responsible Party

Negligent security claims often involve more than one liable party. Our attorneys investigate property owners, landlords, management companies, businesses, security contractors, and anyone else whose negligence may have contributed to the incident.

We Understand Illinois Premises Liability Law

Negligent security cases require proving that a property owner failed to take reasonable steps to protect lawful visitors from foreseeable criminal activity. Our lawyers understand the legal standards that apply to Illinois premises liability claims and know how to build strong cases supported by evidence.

We Build Strong Cases Using Security Evidence

Surveillance footage, maintenance records, crime reports, witness statements, incident reports, and security policies can all play an important role in proving negligence. Our legal team works quickly to preserve evidence before it is lost, destroyed, or overwritten.

You Pay Nothing Unless We Win

We represent negligent security victims on a contingency fee basis. You pay no upfront attorney's fees, and you owe nothing unless we successfully recover compensation for your case.

What Is Negligent Security?

Negligent security is a type of premises liability claim that arises when a property owner fails to provide reasonable security measures to protect lawful visitors from foreseeable criminal acts. When inadequate security contributes to an assault, robbery, shooting, or other violent crime, the property owner may be held financially responsible for the victim's injuries.

Reasonable security measures vary depending on the property and surrounding circumstances. In many cases, they may include adequate lighting, functioning locks, security cameras, controlled building access, trained security personnel, or other precautions designed to reduce foreseeable risks. 

When property owners ignore known dangers or fail to address recurring criminal activity, they may be liable for the harm that results.

Common Examples of Negligent Security

Negligent security can take many forms depending on the property and the circumstances surrounding the crime. 

Some of the common examples include:

• Broken or missing security cameras that fail to deter crime or capture critical evidence.
• Poor lighting in parking lots, stairwells, entrances, sidewalks, or other common areas.
• Broken locks, gates, or access control systems that allow unauthorized individuals to enter the property.
• Unsecured building entrances that expose residents, guests, customers, or employees to unnecessary risks.
• Inadequate security personnel at properties with known safety concerns or a history of criminal activity.
• Failure to address prior criminal activity despite previous assaults, robberies, or other violent incidents on or near the property.

Where Do Negligent Security Incidents Commonly Occur?

Negligent security claims can arise in many different settings where property owners fail to provide reasonable protection against foreseeable criminal activity. Common locations include:

• Apartment complexes
• Hotels and motels
• Parking garages and parking lots
• Shopping malls and retail centers
• Bars and nightclubs
• Office buildings
• Hospitals and healthcare facilities
• Schools and universities
• Concert venues and stadiums
• Public transportation facilities

These locations often experience high volumes of visitors, making proper security measures essential to protecting lawful guests from preventable harm.

Common Injuries Caused by Negligent Security

Victims of crimes caused by negligent security often suffer serious physical and emotional injuries that require extensive medical treatment and long-term care.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Violent assaults can cause concussions, skull fractures, and traumatic brain injuries that affect memory, concentration, speech, balance, and other cognitive functions. Some victims experience permanent neurological impairments that require lifelong medical care.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Falls, physical attacks, shootings, and other violent incidents may result in spinal cord injuries that cause chronic pain, limited mobility, partial paralysis, or permanent disability.

Broken Bones

Victims frequently suffer fractures to the arms, legs, ribs, hips, wrists, facial bones, and other parts of the body during assaults, robberies, or other violent crimes. Many fractures require surgery, rehabilitation, and months of recovery.

Gunshot and Stab Wounds

Negligent security cases often involve violent crimes committed with firearms or knives. These injuries can cause significant blood loss, organ damage, permanent disabilities, and life-threatening complications.

Internal Injuries

Blunt-force trauma can damage internal organs and cause internal bleeding that may not be immediately visible. Prompt medical evaluation is critical because untreated internal injuries can quickly become life-threatening.

Psychological Trauma

Many victims experience lasting emotional injuries, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sleep disturbances, and fear of returning to the location where the crime occurred. Emotional trauma can be just as debilitating as physical injuries and may require ongoing counseling or therapy.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Negligent Security Case?

Liability in a negligent security case often extends beyond the person who committed the crime. Depending on the circumstances, property owners, businesses, landlords, and other parties may be held responsible if they failed to provide reasonable security measures that could have prevented the incident.

Property Owners

Property owners have a duty to maintain reasonably safe premises for lawful visitors. If they fail to address known security risks or provide appropriate security measures, they may be liable for injuries caused by foreseeable criminal acts.

Property Management Companies

Management companies responsible for maintaining residential or commercial properties may be held accountable if they neglect security concerns, fail to repair broken security features, or ignore recurring criminal activity.

Business Owners

Businesses that invite customers onto their property should take reasonable steps to protect them from foreseeable harm. Restaurants, hotels, shopping centers, entertainment venues, and other businesses may be liable when inadequate security contributes to a violent crime.

Landlords

Landlords may be responsible when they fail to maintain secure entrances, repair broken locks, install adequate lighting, or address other dangerous conditions that expose tenants and visitors to criminal activity.

Security Companies

Private security companies hired to protect a property may also be liable if their negligence, inadequate staffing, or failure to perform contracted security services contributes to a preventable crime.

How Do You Prove a Negligent Security Claim?

To recover compensation, you must demonstrate that the property owner's negligence contributed to the criminal act that caused your injuries. Every case is different, but successful negligent security claims generally require proving the following elements:

The Property Owner Owed You a Duty of Care

Property owners owe lawful visitors a duty to maintain reasonably safe premises. This includes taking reasonable steps to protect visitors from foreseeable criminal activity under the circumstances.

Security Measures Were Inadequate

You must show that the property lacked reasonable security measures, such as adequate lighting, functioning locks, surveillance cameras, controlled access systems, or trained security personnel.

The Crime Was Reasonably Foreseeable

A property owner is not automatically responsible for every crime that occurs on the premises. Instead, liability often depends on whether prior criminal activity, neighborhood crime trends, or other warning signs made the incident reasonably foreseeable.

The Lack of Security Contributed to the Crime

It is not enough to show that security was inadequate. You must also establish that the property's security failures contributed to the criminal act and your resulting injuries.

You Suffered Damages

Finally, you must prove that the incident caused measurable damages, such as medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, emotional distress, or other financial and personal losses.

What Compensation Can You Recover?

A negligent security incident can have lasting physical, emotional, and financial consequences. Depending on the facts of your case, you may be entitled to recover compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Future medical treatment and rehabilitation
• Lost wages
• Loss of future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Permanent disability
• Disfigurement and permanent scarring
• Loss of normal life

In some cases involving particularly egregious or intentional misconduct, additional damages may also be available under Illinois law. Our attorneys can evaluate your case and explain the types of compensation you may be eligible to pursue.

How Can Our Chicago Negligent Security Lawyers Help?

Recovering after a violent crime can be overwhelming, especially when property owners deny responsibility. Our Chicago negligent security lawyers handle every aspect of your case while you focus on your recovery.

Under Illinois law, most personal injury lawsuits, including negligent security claims, must generally be filed within two years of the date of the injury under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Missing this deadline may prevent you from recovering compensation, so it is important to speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible.

1. Investigate the Incident: We gather surveillance footage, maintenance records, incident reports, police reports, witness statements, and other evidence to determine how inadequate security contributed to the crime.
2. Preserve Critical Evidence: Our legal team acts quickly to preserve surveillance videos, inspection records, maintenance logs, and other evidence before it is lost or destroyed.
3. Identify Every Liable Party: We investigate property owners, landlords, management companies, businesses, and security contractors to identify everyone who may share responsibility.
4. Work With Industry Experts: When necessary, we consult security professionals, investigators, and other experts to establish how reasonable security measures could have prevented the incident.
5. Calculate Your Full Damages: We evaluate your current and future medical expenses, lost income, emotional trauma, pain and suffering, and other losses to pursue full compensation.
6. Negotiate With Insurance Companies: Insurance carriers often attempt to minimize negligent security claims. We aggressively negotiate for a fair settlement while protecting your rights.
7. Take Your Case to Trial if Necessary: If the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation, our trial-ready attorneys are prepared to present your case before a judge or jury.

Contact Our Chicago Negligent Security Lawyers for a Free Consultation

A violent crime can leave you with serious injuries, emotional trauma, and financial hardship. If inadequate security allowed the incident to happen, you should not have to shoulder those burdens alone.

At Conboy Law, our Chicago negligent security lawyers are committed to holding negligent property owners accountable and pursuing the compensation you deserve. We will thoroughly investigate your case, identify every liable party, and aggressively protect your rights throughout the legal process. 

We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Call (312) 376-4291 today for a free consultation.