Were you or a family member attacked on someone else’s property in Destin, FL? Florida premises liability laws require property owners to install adequate security to prevent criminal acts of violence. An experienced Destin negligent security lawyer at Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers can help determine whether the property owner owes you compensation.
Our lawyers have over 60 years of experience in personal injury law. We’ve used our experience and knowledge to help injured clients in the panhandle win millions in financial compensation.
It can be tricky to prove you were hurt due to inadequate security. Contact our law offices in Destin, Florida, at (850) 842-2573 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney who can help.
Why You Should Trust Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers To Handle Your Destin Negligent Security Case
Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers is an award-winning personal injury law firm that has been serving injured clients in the Florida panhandle since 1990. We’ve earned the highest possible “AV-Preeminent” rating from the Martindale-Hubbell peer attorney rating service.
That means we’ve proven that our legal services live up to the highest possible standards, in terms of:
- Demonstrated legal knowledge and a proven track record of success
- Full communication with our clients
- Adhering to the highest ethical standards possible
Our co-founding partner WM. Dennis Brannon is also a certified circuit civil mediator and former insurance defense attorney.
That’s valuable because most negligent security cases involve filing a premises liability claim with a negligent property owner’s insurance company. The fact is, insurance companies created the rules that govern your insurance claim. We’ll use our inside insurance industry experience to level the playing field.
Our Destin personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. Our attorneys’ fees are taken as an agreed-upon percentage of your settlement or verdict. You can trust that we’ll do everything possible to recover the fair compensation you deserve–because we only charge attorney’s fees if we recover compensation in your case.
How Can a Negligent Security Lawyer Help With Your Case?
In any personal injury case, your lawyer is your most important asset. Insurance companies are not looking out for your best interests. They’ll do everything in their power to minimize the value of your personal injury claim.
Similarly, negligent property owners won’t simply step up and accept responsibility. They might even blame you for being careless.
An experienced Destin personal injury attorney can help by:
- Investigating and gathering evidence to prove your case
- Determining who is legally responsible for your damages
- Hiring experts to testify about the security measures that could have prevented the crime
- Determining the amount of compensation you deserve
- Negotiating fiercely on your behalf for a fair settlement
Our lawyers are here to protect you. Contact us today to learn more about the benefits of an attorney-client relationship.
What Is the Legal Basis for a Negligent Security Claim?
Under Florida law, people can be held financially accountable when they’re negligent and others are hurt.
As an initial matter, negligence means:
- A legal duty of care existed
- A breach of duty occurred
- The breach directly caused some type of harm
- The victim suffered damages
Property owners in Florida have a duty to keep their property reasonably safe for invited visitors. The scope of that duty includes taking reasonable security measures.
When an owner fails to install reasonable security, that’s considered a breach of duty. When the breach of duty leads to preventable crimes, the victims can hold the property owner responsible for their damages.
What Is Negligent Security in Florida?
All property owners have a legal duty to provide adequate security. However, the scope of that duty depends on many different factors. In other words, what constitutes “adequate security” will depend on the facts and circumstances.
Proper security measures will depend on many factors, including:
- The crime rate in the neighborhood
- Whether violent crimes have occurred on the property in the past
- The type of establishment involved
Generally speaking, if another reasonable property owner would have taken additional precautions to deter crimes, you may have a valid negligent security claim.
Depending on the facts, property owners may be required to take the following steps to secure their premises:
- Install security cameras
- Provide adequate lighting in parking lots and common areas
- Install flood lights in dark areas and alleyways
- Hire physical security guards
- Train employees to respond to threats of violence
- Respond to security threats
- Install locked fences and gates
- Ensure that all locks are functioning properly
- Install motion-sensing security technology
- Physically escort customers to their vehicles
- Post signs warning that security cameras are in use
- Control keys and passcodes that can be used to enter the premises
- Install metal detectors to prevent weapons from entering the premises
Taking these steps can prevent violent criminal acts, including assault, rape, robbery, stalking and harassment.
If you believe you were a victim due to a property owner’s failure to secure their premises, contact our law firm in Destin today. We offer a free case review so you can get the legal advice you deserve.
How Do I File a Claim for Compensation Based on Negligent Security in Destin, Florida?
If you were a victim of negligent security, it’s important to consult an experienced attorney.
At Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers, we have the resources to conduct a full investigation. We’ll collect all evidence that can be relevant to your case.
During the course of our investigation, our premises liability attorneys in Destin will:
- Obtain historical crime records and police reports
- Interview neighbors and employees
- Locate any eyewitnesses
- Survey the property to evaluate the existing security measures
- Visit nearby businesses to compare their security precautions
- Evaluate the type of business you were visiting
Our goal is to prove that the criminal activity was reasonably foreseeable and that the property owner failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the crime.
As a general rule of thumb, property owners in high-crime neighborhoods must take additional precautions to prevent foreseeable criminal acts. Similarly, some businesses simply tend to attract criminal activity (bars, pawn shops, and others). In those cases, the owner must take additional precautions to account for the increased risk of danger.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for My Damages?
Negligent security laws apply to all business owners.
That includes:
- Restaurants, bars, and nightclubs
- Shopping malls
- Grocery stores
- Rental apartment complexes
- Banks and walk-up ATMs
- Public parks
- Colleges and universities
- Sports and entertainment venues
- Parking garages and parking lots
- Hotels
- Hospitals
- Schools and daycare centers
- Cruise ships
- Airlines and airports
- Office buildings
- Government agencies
If you were a victim of criminal acts on someone else’s property, call our lawyers today. We’ll help you understand your legal options and do everything possible to recover the full compensation you deserve.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Negligent Security in Destin?
If your case is successful, you should be able to recover compensation to cover the full value of your economic damages.
Economic damages are your financial losses, including:
- Current medical bills
- Estimated future medical expenses
- Rehabilitation and nursing care
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning potential
- Physical therapy
- Property damage
You can also pursue compensation for your non-economic damages. These are your personal losses, and are often called “pain and suffering” damages.
Non-economic damages may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Fear
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Embarrassment
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
- Damage to personal relationships
Our experienced trial attorneys are here to help you fight for every dollar you deserve. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help with your financial recovery.
Our Destin Negligent Security Attorneys Will Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Injuries
For years, our lawyers in Destin have been dedicated to helping clients recover fair compensation for a wide range of injuries.
- Cuts and lacerations
- Severe bruising
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Head and neck injuries
- Puncture wounds
- Gunshot wounds
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Genital injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
Some victims suffer injuries that are so catastrophic they cannot recover. Our wrongful death attorneys can help you fight for justice if you have lost a loved one due to a property owner’s failure to take reasonable security precautions.
How Long Do I Have To File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After an Attack in Florida?
You won’t have an unlimited amount of time to take legal action. Under Florida’s statute of limitations, you have only two years from the date of your attack to file a personal injury lawsuit. Wait any longer, and you lose your right to recover compensation.
As there are exceptions to the statute of limitations, it’s best to contact our legal team as soon as possible after you’ve been injured to protect your rights.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Destin Negligent Security Lawyer Today
Negligent security could have been the reason you were a victim of a crime. If someone else failed to take reasonable precautions that could have kept you safe, you deserve to be compensated. Contact Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers today at (850) 842-2573 to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how an experienced Destin negligent security lawyer can help.
