Can I Sue an Apartment Complex for Negligent Security?

What Is Your Landlord Responsible for?

It is an inherent need for every individual to feel a sense of security in their home. If you are a tenant renting in an apartment building, you are entitled to specific rights of protection and safety from your landlord. Every situation is different; however, landlords and apartment complex owners are responsible for installing adequate security measures for all their patrons. If they fail to execute these measures, it could result in devastating consequences.

The installation of security measures helps protect the community from impending harm; often, when an apartment complex lacks security, the premise is more susceptible to violent criminal acts. In terms of multi-unit residential structures, such as apartment complexes or rental properties, burglaries of residential properties accounted for 62.8 percent of all burglary offenses in 2019.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program also reported 1,117,696 burglaries in the United States in 2019, even though there was a decrease of 9.5 percent compared to 2018. Criminal acts are still a dominant issue in our nation, especially in low-income and dangerous communities.

What Protections Are You Entitled To?

Your landlord is legally required to provide a safe and habitable rental property and is responsible for ensuring that basic safety standards are put in place on the premises and their upkeep. This includes changing locks, installing locks on windows and doors, and emergency exits. They have a legal obligation to maintain common areas of multi-occupancy dwelling spaces and warn tenants of past criminal activity.

If you are a victim of a physical attack due to negligent security in your apartment complex, you can hold your landlord accountable for the physical injuries and emotional trauma you experienced. Under Georgia's premises liability law, if a tenant was injured due to inadequate security measures, the liability falls on the landlord. Here's what you should know before filing a claim.

How To Prove Negligent Security In Your Apartment Complex

To prove your apartment complex or landlord is liable for the damages that occurred, you must prove that they did not take reasonable measures to ensure your protection, resulting in a criminal attack that led to your injuries. Many factors can determine the foreseeability of a crime occurring on a residential property, such as:

  • If there was a previous criminal attack on the premises that the landlord was aware of and did not provide updated security measures.

  • If the landlord failed to discuss the previous criminal attacks on the premises with the tenants.

  • If the complex is in a neighborhood with high crime levels, the landlord has a duty to improve security measures.

If you are a victim of negligent security and want to file a personal injury lawsuit against your landlord, you must prove these three elements:

  • The landlord had a duty of care.

  • The landlord breached the duty.

  • You sustained injuries as a result of that breached duty.

Negligent Security In an Apartment Complex

A lack of adequate security measures can contribute to violent attacks in apartment complexes, such as shootings, assaults, and theft. Some examples of negligent security are:

  • Poor lighting.

  • Lack of security cameras.

  • Lack of untrained security guards.

  • Failure to repair locks, broken windows, or gates.

  • Failure to warn patrons of criminal attacks on-premises. 

If you are a victim of negligent security, you may be eligible to recover economic and non-economic damages for the injuries and trauma you experienced. It's essential to consult with a skilled negligent security attorney to discuss your case.

Contact Macon Negligent Security Attorneys

Adams Law Firm has decades of experience standing up for the rights of those who have been harmed due to another's negligence. If you or someone you love was injured in an apartment complex due to negligent security, our legal team would do whatever it takes to fight for your right to fair compensation. Contact us today at (478) 845-1961 to schedule a free case consultation.