Store Owners May Be Liable When Negligent Security Leads to Injuries

Georgia’s premises liability laws require store owners and operators to take reasonable precautions to maintain the safety of their property. These include implementing security measures to deter the commission of third-party criminal activities onsite, such as robberies, assaults, rapes, murders, and other violent crimes.

Property owners who fail to uphold their duties to provide adequate security may be held responsible if shoppers are injured as a result of this negligence.

While property owners aren’t legally liable for any harm resulting from a third-party crime that occurs on the premises, victims may be entitled to compensation if they can prove that sufficient security practices would have prevented the criminal activity and ensuing injuries.

Examples of negligent security at stores include:

• Inadequate lighting
• Lack of surveillance cameras
• Broken or improperly-placed security cameras
• Failure to keep doors, windows, fences, gates—and their locks—in good working order
• Failure to hire or adequately train security guards and other crime-deterrent personnel

In some cases, Georgia courts have determined that criminal activities were foreseeable due to a property’s location in a high-crime neighborhood, a history of similar crimes on-site or in the area, or a volatile situation that escalated because of a lack of appropriate security protocols.

If you were the victim of a third-party violent crime at a Georgia convenience store, grocery store, or shopping center and sustained physical injuries and other losses as a result, an experienced premises liability attorney can help you determine if you have grounds to pursue a personal injury claim.

Contact Van Sant Law Today

Contact Van Sant Law today to schedule an appointment for a free initial consultation to discuss the details of your case with a member of our skilled legal team. We can help you understand your rights and fight for compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning potential, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Don’t wait! Georgia’s statute of limitation laws restrict how long you have to file a claim.