Can I Sue an Apartment Complex If I Suffered Injuries in an Assault in Georgia?
If you have been victimized by crime while living in or visiting an apartment complex, you may be unsure of your legal rights. You may wonder if you can sue the apartment complex owner or manager and recover compensation for the injuries that you have suffered due to the criminal acts of trespassers. The answer will depend on a number of factors including whether the apartment complex failed to take steps to prevent criminal activity on the premises. So, it is a good idea for you to work closely with a personal injury attorney who has experience with negligent security cases.
At R. Alan Cleveland, LLC, our negligent security attorneys have over 75 years of collective experience when it comes to representing injured people, including crime victims. Contact us today if you believe that the negligence of an apartment complex owner or manager caused you to suffer serious injuries in Norcross or elsewhere in the greater Atlanta and Gwinnett County area. We will provide a free consultation that carries no obligations.
We represent people in the Greater Atlanta area who have been seriously injured due to others’ negligence, disregard for safety or willful misconduct. Unfortunately, we are unable to help with cases involving only property damage.
Contents
- 1 What Is a Negligent Security Claim?
- 2 How Do You Prove You Were Injured as a Result of Negligent Security in Georgia?
- 3 What Damages Can You Seek from a Negligent Apartment Complex Owner or Manager in GA?
- 4 Wrongful Death Damages on Behalf of a Loved One
- 5 Contact Our Norcross Negligent Security Attorneys Today
What Is a Negligent Security Claim?
Apartment complex owners in Georgia and the companies or individuals whom they hire to manage the property owe a duty to the guests on their property, including tenants. Generally, they must use ordinary care to protect the visitors from suffering foreseeable harm on the property, including harm caused by the criminal acts of others. If an apartment complex owner or manager fails to live up to that duty, and you or a loved one suffers injury as a result, then you have the right to sue the apartment complex owner or manager for damages.
For example, the owner or manager of the apartment complex may be liable based on the failure to provide:
- Proper lighting for common areas such as sidewalks, walkways, hallways, lobbies, fitness centers and parking areas
- An electronic security system that allows entry only to those with a key card or fob
- Security guards and/or cameras that monitor the apartment complex for trespassers
- Door or window locks for the building or for individual apartment units
- Warnings about recent criminal activity on or near the apartment complex.
It is important to determine whether the apartment owner or manager knew (or should have known) about a recent series of sexual assaults, robberies or muggings in the area of the apartment complex. If so, could the apartment owner or manager have taken reasonable steps to prevent tenants and other guests from suffering harm due to the same or similar crimes? For example, if there had been reports of assaults or criminal activity in a dark parking lot beside the apartment complex and the apartment owner had not replaced burned out security lights, the owner may be financially liable for injuries.
In some cases, the apartment complex owner or manager may be liable because the company or individual hired someone to work at the complex without first checking the person’s background. For example, the apartment owner may hire someone to serve as a janitor or handyman, which gives that person access to the entire complex. However, that person may have a criminal record of committing sexual or violent offenses. If that person assaults a tenant or other visitor, the owner or manager could face liability in a negligent security lawsuit.
How Do You Prove You Were Injured as a Result of Negligent Security in Georgia?
The negligent security lawyers at R. Alan Cleveland, LLC, will know how to thoroughly investigate your negligent security case and determine whether the apartment complex owner or manager should be held financially liable for the harm that you have suffered. We will efficiently gather and study evidence such as:
- Surveillance camera footage
- Eyewitness statements
- Security that may have failed to work (such as cameras, alarms or locks)
- Reports of past criminal activity occurring on or near the property
- The apartment complex’s own security policy
- The hiring, training and supervision records for apartment personnel.
We may also consult with security experts about your case. They can help us to determine whether the property owner and/or manager failed to take reasonable steps that would have made the apartment complex safe for tenants and other guests. If we conclude that you have a claim, we will aggressively pursue all of the damages that you are due.
In some cases, parties in addition to the apartment owner or manager may be sued for injuries caused by negligent security. For instance, a security company or other vendor may have been under contract to protect security at a complex and failed to fulfill their obligation, causing you to suffer injuries as a result.
Our goal at R. Alan Cleveland, LLC, will be to secure maximum compensation for you and your family. In doing so, we will identify all parties who should be held liable as well as all available insurance policies that may be sources of compensation. We know the important role that compensation can play as you work to overcome the trauma of your injuries and move forward with your life.
What Damages Can You Seek from a Negligent Apartment Complex Owner or Manager in GA?
A violent assault can cause lasting trauma and psychological injury to the victim. People who suffer injuries at an apartment complex due to a landowner’s negligence may be able to pursue damages such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost income or wages
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Loss of future earning ability
- Property damages and losses
If your only damages are theft or damage of your personal property, pursuing a case against the at fault party may not be fincancially feasible. However, you could pursue that claim at small claims court court.
Wrongful Death Damages on Behalf of a Loved One
If your loved one died due to the negligence of an apartment complex owner or manager, the attorneys of R. Alan Cleveland, LLC, can pursue wrongful death damages on your behalf. While no amount of compensation can replace the loss of a loved one, we can seek funds that will take care of funeral and burial expenses and replace the loss of your loved one’s financial support and services around the home.
Contact Our Norcross Negligent Security Attorneys Today
At R. Alan Cleveland, LLC, our personal injury attorneys have the experience and resources to handle even the most complex negligent security cases. Over the years, our attorneys have secured more than $150 million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients. We are driven by the fact that our clients deserve justice. Our goal is to help them to cope with some of life’s toughest challenges, overcome their injuries to the extent possible and move forward with their lives.
With our office conveniently located in Athens, we can serve negligent security victims and their families in Gwinnett County and throughout the greater Atlanta area. If you’re looking for a Norcross negligent security lawyer, contact us today for a free and confidential consultation.
An Athens resident Alan Cleveland grew up in Rockdale County. As a founding partner of the personal injury law firm of R. Alan Cleveland, LLC he proudly serves his community and provides skilled representation to injury victims and their families all around Georgia. Alan earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and went on to graduate, summa cum laude, from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. He is also a graduate of Gerry Spence’s renowned Trial Lawyers College (TLC) in Wyoming. In his free time, Alan frequently speaks at continuing legal education seminars. He also volunteered as a youth baseball coach and assists with Georgia’s high school moot court competition held annually. Alan serves as a Trustee of Historic Athens and is a member of the Development Authority of the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County.
