A night out at a bar, a trip to an apartment complex, a visit to a hotel, or even a quick walk through a parking garage should not end in a violent assault or serious injury. Unfortunately, some property owners fail to take reasonable security measures to protect visitors from foreseeable dangers, creating situations where preventable crimes occur.
At The Slocum Firm, our Scranton negligent security lawyers help victims and families pursue compensation after preventable acts of violence caused by unsafe property conditions or inadequate security measures. We understand that these incidents often leave people dealing with physical injuries, emotional trauma, anxiety, financial stress, and fear about what comes next.
When inadequate security contributes to an assault, robbery, shooting, or other violent incident, the property owner may share legal responsibility for the harm that follows. These cases are often referred to as negligent security claims.
Call (570) 209-7376 to learn more about your legal options. We are available 24/7, and you will never pay legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.
What Is a Negligent Security Claim?
A negligent security claim is a type of premises liability case in which someone is injured by criminal acts that could have been prevented or reduced if the property owner had taken reasonable safety precautions. These cases often arise when assaults, robberies, shootings, or other violent incidents occur on properties where known security risks were ignored.
Property owners are not automatically responsible every time a crime happens on their property. However, they may become legally liable when they fail to address foreseeable dangers or maintain reasonably safe conditions for visitors, tenants, customers, or guests.
What are the Elements of a Negligent Security Claim?
In many negligent security cases, the central issue is whether the property owner knew—or should have known—that criminal activity was a risk at the location. This may involve evidence of prior incidents, repeated safety complaints, broken security features, poor lighting, unsecured entrances, or a lack of reasonable security measures in an area with known criminal activity.
These claims also focus on whether the property owner ignored dangerous conditions that increased the likelihood of an attack or failed to take reasonable steps to protect lawful visitors from foreseeable harm.
Under Pennsylvania premises liability law, businesses, landlords, and other property owners generally have a duty to maintain reasonably safe premises and to address known safety risks when criminal activity is foreseeable.
| Legal Proof Needed | What It Shows |
| Prior criminal activity or safety complaints | Previous assaults, robberies, break-ins, or repeated complaints may show the property had known safety risks. |
| Property owner knew or should have known about the danger | Owners and managers may be expected to recognize patterns of criminal activity or dangerous conditions on the property. |
| Failure to provide reasonable security measures | Inadequate lighting, broken locks, missing security cameras, poor access control, or a lack of security personnel may increase the risk of harm. |
| Violent crime or assault occurs | A preventable attack, robbery, shooting, or other criminal incident takes place on the property. |
| Victim suffers physical, emotional, or financial harm | The injured person may experience medical expenses, emotional trauma, lost income, pain and suffering, or long-term psychological effects. |
Key Legal Issue:
Negligent security cases focus on whether the danger was foreseeable and whether reasonable safety measures could have reduced the risk of harm.
Where Do Negligent Security Incidents Commonly Happen?
Negligent security cases can arise in many different settings throughout Scranton and northeastern Pennsylvania. These incidents often occur in places such as:
- Apartment complexes
- Hotels and motels
- Parking garages and parking lots
- Bars and nightclubs
- Shopping centers
- Convenience stores and gas stations
- College housing areas
- Event venues
Certain locations may face increased security responsibilities if there is a history of criminal activity nearby or on the property itself.
What Types of Crimes Lead to Negligent Security Claims?
Negligent security cases frequently involve violent or dangerous criminal acts that occur because reasonable safety precautions were missing or inadequate.
Assaults and Physical Attacks
Many claims involve fights, assaults, or attacks occurring in poorly monitored or unsecured areas.
Robberies and Armed Incidents
Inadequate lighting, broken gates, or a lack of surveillance may contribute to robberies or armed crimes on commercial properties.
Sexual Assaults
Apartment complexes, hotels, parking garages, and nightlife establishments sometimes become the focus of negligent security litigation after sexual assaults occur because of unsafe conditions or inadequate security measures.
Shootings and Violent Crimes
Some cases involve shootings or other violent incidents occurring in locations with known criminal activity and insufficient security responses.
Tenant and Visitor Injuries
Landlords and property managers may sometimes face liability when tenants or visitors are harmed due to dangerous security issues that were ignored.
What Unsafe Conditions Can Support a Negligent Security Claim?
Negligent security claims often involve dangerous conditions that made criminal activity more likely or allowed an attack to occur more easily, such as:
Inadequate Lighting
Poor lighting in stairwells, parking lots, hallways, or entrances can create opportunities for assaults and robberies.
Broken Locks or Security Gates
Faulty locks, unsecured entrances, or broken gates may allow unauthorized individuals access to private areas.
Lack of Security Personnel
Certain businesses or apartment complexes may require security guards or monitoring because of known criminal activity.
Missing Surveillance Systems
The absence of cameras or monitoring equipment may contribute to unsafe conditions, especially in high-risk locations.
Failure to Address Prior Criminal Activity
Property owners who ignore repeated incidents or complaints about criminal activity may face increased liability exposure.
Why Negligent Security Cases Are Often Challenging
Negligent security cases are frequently more complicated than ordinary premises liability claims because they involve both criminal conduct and questions about the property owner’s responsibility to maintain reasonably safe conditions.
Insurance companies often try to distance property owners from liability by arguing that the criminal act was unpredictable, that the attacker alone is responsible, or that the incident could not realistically have been prevented. In some cases, insurers may also attempt to argue that the victim assumed certain risks by being on the property or in the surrounding area.
How We Fight Insurance Companies
At The Slocum Firm, we work to push back against these defenses by focusing on what the property owner knew about prior safety concerns and whether reasonable security measures could have reduced the risk of harm. Building a strong negligent security case often requires a detailed investigation into issues such as prior criminal activity on or near the property, police reports, security policies, maintenance records, surveillance footage, and witness testimony.
Our goal is to demonstrate that the danger was foreseeable and that the property owner failed to respond appropriately to known risks. In many cases, proving foreseeability becomes one of the most important parts of establishing liability.
How Violent Incidents Can Affect Victims Long After the Event
Negligent security incidents often leave victims dealing with far more than immediate physical injuries. Many people experience:
- anxiety or panic attacks
- PTSD or emotional trauma
- sleep disruption
- fear of public places
- difficulty returning to work
- long-term medical treatment
- financial hardship
Some victims require counseling, rehabilitation, surgery, or extended medical care after violent attacks. Families are often deeply affected as well, especially in cases involving catastrophic injuries or wrongful death.
Do You Have a Negligent Security Claim?
You may have a valid negligent security claim if a violent incident occurred because a property owner failed to maintain reasonably safe conditions. Cases we handle often involve situations where:
- Prior criminal activity made the danger foreseeable
- Security measures were missing or inadequate
- Management ignored complaints or warnings
- Dangerous property conditions were left unaddressed
- Tenants or visitors were exposed to preventable risks
Even if the attacker is arrested or criminally charged, the property owner may still be held civilly liable for your losses if negligent security contributed to the incident. Because evidence can disappear quickly after violent incidents, early investigation is often crucial to protecting your rights.
If you wonder whether you have a viable personal injury claim for negligent security, contact our team to share your story. During a free case consultation, we can explain the law and your rights so you can make the best decisions possible.
What Compensation Is Available in a Negligent Security Case?
A negligent security claim is intended to account for the physical, emotional, and financial harm caused by the incident. Depending on the unique facts of your situation, we may pursue compensation to help cover:
Medical Expenses
Compensation may include costs related to emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgeries, therapy, counseling, medication, rehabilitation, and future medical care.
Lost Income and Reduced Earning Ability
If your injuries or trauma affect your ability to work, compensation may include both current and future financial losses.
Pain and Suffering
Violent incidents often leave victims dealing with severe emotional distress, trauma, anxiety, fear, and lasting psychological harm. We can help place a value on these important damages.
Long-Term Disability or Emotional Trauma
Some victims experience permanent physical injuries or long-term mental health complications that significantly affect daily life.
Our team will include all relevant legal damages in a comprehensive demand package that we’ll send to the insurance company, or in our trial argument requesting a verdict in your favor.
How The Slocum Firm Helps Negligent Security Victims
Negligent security cases require aggressive legal advocacy and detailed investigation. Property owners and insurance companies rarely admit responsibility voluntarily, especially when violent crimes are involved.
These cases often depend on uncovering evidence that shows the danger was foreseeable and that reasonable security measures were ignored or inadequately maintained. We conduct thorough investigations to find just such evidence.
What Happens When You Contact Our Scranton Negligent Security Attorneys?
When you partner with The Slocum Firm, we will move quickly to investigate the incident and preserve critical evidence before it disappears. This may include obtaining surveillance footage, reviewing police and incident reports, identifying prior criminal activity or safety complaints involving the property, and analyzing security failures such as broken locks, poor lighting, unsecured entrances, or inadequate monitoring.
Our attorneys also work to uncover whether the property owner ignored known safety risks or failed to respond appropriately to prior incidents. In many negligent security cases, establishing a pattern of dangerous conditions or repeated criminal activity becomes an important part of proving liability.
Beyond the investigation itself, we actively negotiate with insurance companies and push back against attempts to minimize the property owner’s responsibility or blame you for what happened. We prepare cases aggressively for litigation, so if the insurer refuses to offer a fair settlement, we are ready to present your case to a jury.
We understand that after a violent incident, many people feel confused, anxious, or uncertain about pursuing legal action. Our goal is to help you understand your rights, reduce some of the stress surrounding the legal process, and build the strongest case possible on your behalf.
Why Taking Action Quickly Matters
Important evidence in negligent security cases can disappear quickly. Surveillance footage may be deleted, witnesses may be difficult to locate, and property owners may repair dangerous conditions shortly after the incident occurs. Early legal action may help preserve:
- security camera footage
- maintenance records
- incident reports
- witness statements
- security logs
- communication records
The sooner our investigation begins, the better our chances are of preserving critical evidence supporting your claim. Don’t wait to take the first step. Call our team today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Negligent Security Claims
How long do I have to file a negligent security lawsuit in Pennsylvania?
In most situations, the Pennsylvania statute of limitations gives injury victims two years from the date of the incident to file a lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, you will likely lose your right to pursue compensation for your losses.
Are businesses automatically responsible for crimes on their property?
No. Liability depends on whether the harm was foreseeable and whether reasonable security measures were lacking.
Can negligent security claims involve wrongful death?
Yes. Families may have the legal right to bring a wrongful death claim if a fatal assault or violent crime occurred because of unsafe property conditions.
What if the attacker was never identified?
You may still have a claim against the property owner if negligent security contributed to the incident.
Can a property owner still be liable if another person committed the crime?
Yes. Negligent security claims focus on whether the property owner failed to take reasonable steps to reduce foreseeable risks of harm, even though another person committed the criminal act.
What if the incident happened at an apartment complex?
Landlords and property managers may sometimes be responsible if unsafe security conditions contributed to an assault or attack on the property.
Why are prior crimes important in these cases?
Prior incidents may help show that the property owner knew—or should have known—that additional security measures were necessary.
What if I suffered emotional trauma but limited physical injuries?
Psychological injuries such as PTSD, anxiety, and emotional distress may still become important parts of a negligent security claim.
Contact the Scranton Negligent Security Lawyers at The Slocum Firm to Learn More
A violent attack or preventable crime can leave lasting physical, emotional, and financial damage. You do not have to face aggressive insurance companies and legal uncertainty on your own while trying to recover from a traumatic incident.
At The Slocum Firm, we help negligent security victims and families pursue accountability and compensation after preventable acts of violence throughout Scranton and Pennsylvania. Our attorneys understand how complex and emotionally difficult these cases can become and work aggressively to protect our clients’ rights and futures.
If you or a loved one suffered harm because of inadequate security in Scranton or anywhere in Pennsylvania, call (570) 209-7376 today for a free consultation with our Scranton negligent security lawyers.
We are available 24/7, and you will never pay legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.
