Negligent Security and a Chicago Area Property Owner’s Responsibility to Maintain a Safe Environment for Visitors
It was late at night when you stopped off at a convenience store on your way home from the airport after a long flight. After you made your purchase you left the store and headed for your car when suddenly you were attacked from out of nowhere and robbed at gunpoint. It might have seemed that you barely had time to react and then the perpetrators ran off in the night with your cell phone, wallet, and the sandwich you just bought. Unfortunately, crimes like this occur all too often in Chicago. If you were a patron of a business and you were attacked while coming into the business or leaving it, or even inside the establishment, you may be able to take legal action against the business.
Premises liability laws require that property and business owners provide adequate security to provide for the safety of their patrons and their employees. Yes, accidents often occur, but when a property owner knows about or should know about a dangerous condition on his or her property, and they do not address it right away they owe a duty to the public that comes and goes from their business and supports that business with their purchases, to warn them about the potentially dangerous condition. Premises liability laws say that a property owner may be held responsible for injuries that take place on their property due to an unsafe condition.
Negligent security is an aspect of premises liability because it involves a patron or invitee’s injuries being caused by a third party. In the example above, the patron leaving the convenience store might have had to walk through a darkened area between the exit of the store and their car in the parking lot. A criminal took advantage of the lack of lighting and lay in wait for an unsuspecting person to walk by and mugged them. The property owner is responsible to provide adequate lighting and security guards if necessary to keep patrons safe. If the business owner knew about the possibility that a patron could be assaulted when leaving the store and did nothing to reduce or even eliminate that possibility, then they may be held liable for the customer’s injuries from the attack.
It’s okay to fight for your rights when you’ve been injured on someone else’s property. You will benefit from having a personal injury attorney in Chicago on your side to guide you and make sure that you receive maximum compensation. Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers has the knowledge and experience to protect your interests in your personal injury case. Give Neal Gainsberg a call at 312-600-9585 or fill out our contact form today to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.
Attorney Neal Gainsberg has spent the last 20+ years fighting to protect the rights of the injured in Chicago and throughout Illinois. For dedicated legal help with a personal injury, car accident, or wrongful death matter, contact Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers in Chicago for a free consultation.