St. Petersburg Negligent Security Lawyer

Were you recently assaulted or the victim of a crime in St. Petersburg, Florida? Were you hurt on someone else’s property? Did inadequate security measures contribute to the attack? If so, you may have the right to seek compensation from the property owner. Contact Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers for help. Our St. Petersburg negligent security lawyers can help you fight to maximize your recovery.

Since 1955, we’ve helped our clients stand up, tell their stories, and assert their legal rights to compensation. Backed by over 300 years of combined experience, our law firm has won hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation in the process for injured victims after being involved in premises liability cases, product liability incidents, St. Petersburg social security disability claims, assault injuries, and more.

Don’t let an irresponsible property owner off the hook for your brutal attack and injuries. Call Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers and have our award-winning Florida trial attorneys fight to get you the compensation you deserve.

Your first consultation is free, contact our St. Petersburg, FL, law office to get started today by calling (727) 591-3354.

How Our St. Petersburg Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With Your Negligent Security Claim

What kind of security measures was the owner supposed to have in place? What could have prevented you from being the victim of a crime? How can you prove that that property owner was negligent? What happens when the owner attempts to blame you for getting hurt?

There aren’t issues you should have to handle on your own right now. After all, you should be focused on coming to terms with the trauma you’ve endured and getting back on your feet. That’s where our St. Petersburg personal injury lawyers can help.

At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers, we know just how important a financial recovery can be when you’re the victim of a brutal attack. In truth, the person who attacked you might not be able to pay the money you deserve. But the property owner who created a dangerous situation (or their insurance company) probably can.

We’ll work hard to make sure that they are held fully accountable for failing to provide adequate security to keep you safe on their premises.

Our team will:

• Investigate the attack or criminal incident that caused you to get hurt
• Identify the security measures that were in place at the time of the incident
• Determine what security measures should have been implemented, given the property’s location and purpose
• Gather evidence to support your claim, including video footage, photographs, witness statements, expert testimony, prior reports of criminal activity at the premises or in the neighborhood, and more
• Defend against allegations that you provoked the attack or otherwise share responsibility for your injuries
• Handle settlement negotiations with the property owner, their insurance company, and other involved parties
• Prepare to reject unreasonably low offers and bring your case to trial, if necessary

Our premises liability attorneys in St. Petersburg work on contingency fee basis. There’s no cost to hire our top-rated law firm unless we win your negligent security case. 

Call our compassionate and skilled legal team to learn more about your legal options and discover how we can help you get the money you deserve. Your first case evaluation is free, so call now.

What Is Negligent Security?

Negligent security cases are a matter of premises liability. In Florida, property owners assume a responsibility to keep invited guests and visitors on their premises safe. This includes a duty to protect against reasonably foreseeable acts of crime or violence. 

To satisfy this duty, property owners are expected to implement appropriate security measures.

If a guest is the victim of a crime and an owner’s negligent security is a contributing factor, the owner can be held legally and financially responsible for the resulting harm.

How Do I Win My Negligent Security Case?

As the victim of a crime on another person’s property in St. Petersburg, you reserve the right to pursue compensation from the property owner. 

As the name suggests, negligent security cases focus on negligence.

You’ll have to prove that the property owner owed you a duty of care, breached this duty by lacking necessary security measures, and you were the victim of a crime (and suffered damages) as a result.

Duty of Care

Property owners assume a duty of care when you’re an invited guest or visitor. If you can prove that you were lawfully on the premises as an invitee or licensee, you can establish that the owner had a duty to protect you from reasonably foreseeable acts of violence or crime.

Breach of Duty

In a negligent security case, you’ll need to prove that the property owner didn’t have appropriate security to protect against reasonably foreseeable acts of crime. Failing to have adequate security would be considered a breach of the owner’s duty to you.

This doesn’t mean that all property owners in St. Petersburg have to have security measures to rival Fort Knox. 

Security must simply be reasonable, given the property’s geographic location and the purpose of the operation.

When determining what security measures would be appropriate, you’ll need to consider:

• History of crime at the specific property
• History of crime in the neighborhood where the property is located
• The type of crime that’s typically committed at or near the property
• What the business sells or the purpose of its operation
• Whether the business typically keeps a lot of cash on hand

A convenience store or gas station that operates 24/7 in a crime-ridden part of town will generally need to have more sophisticated security measures than a small craft store in an upscale part of town that’s only open for a few hours a week.

Depending on the location, appropriate security measures might include:

• Security cameras
• Deadbolts and door locks
• Floodlights
• Well-lit parking lots or parking garages
• Staff security
• Bouncers
• Safes

Property owners in high-risk neighborhoods or who operate businesses that would likely be the target of a crime – such as a gas station or nightclub – should also train employees to handle and report the crime. 

Causation

Once you’ve established that the property owner’s security was lacking, you’ll need to prove that the negligent security caused you to get hurt. Essentially, you’ll have to prove that you would not have been hurt if the property owner had appropriate security measures in place. 

Damages

It’s not enough to be the victim of an assault or attack. You’ll also have to point to identifiable damages – such as medical bills, lost wages, or emotional distress.

In Florida, you have the burden of proving your negligent security claim by a preponderance of the evidence. To satisfy the burden of proof, you’ll need facts and evidence to back up your allegations. Our negligent security attorneys in St. Petersburg will carefully investigate your case, gather and analyze evidence, and work to build a strong and persuasive claim on your behalf. 

Helping You Seek Compensation for All of Your Injuries

Whether you’ve been physically assaulted, sexually assaulted, or harmed in the commission of a violent crime, the injuries you suffer can change the course of your life forever.

At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers, our negligent security lawyers in St. Petersburg will help you fight back to recover compensation for:

• Broken bones
• Traumatic brain injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Burns
• Puncture wounds
• Cuts and lacerations
• Gunshot wounds
• Knife wounds
• Amputation
• Chest injury
• Crushing injury
• Catastrophic injury
• Wrongful death of a family member

Always seek medical treatment at the closest hospital in St. Petersburg immediately if you’ve been the victim of a crime. You’ll want to make sure that the attack and your injuries are documented right away. This can help to limit complications and increase the odds of a successful financial recovery in the future.

What Kind of Damages Can I Get if I File a Negligent Security Lawsuit?

If you’re injured in a criminal act at a business in St. Petersburg, you can seek compensatory damages from the negligent property owner.

Compensatory damages include economic damages (to offset financial costs) and non-economic damages (to make up for subjective suffering).

This can include money for:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Lost wages and income
• Reduced earning capacity
• Nursing care
• Pain and suffering
• PTSD
• Rehabilitation
• Reduced quality of life
• Loss of consortium
• Disfigurement
• Out-of-pocket expenses

Our award-winning Florida trial attorneys will carefully analyze the circumstances of your case and work closely with experts and specialists throughout the process. We want to genuinely understand how being the victim of a crime has changed and will change your life. The more comprehensive our understanding, the better prepared we’ll be to win a result that really reflects what your negligent security case is worth.

What’s the Statute of Limitations for Negligent Security Lawsuits in Florida?

Florida has recently adjusted its statute of limitations for most negligence-based personal injury cases. There is a four-year deadline for injuries sustained on or before March 23rd, 2023, and a two-year deadline for those sustained after that date. However, there are exceptions. The statute of limitations is two years in the event of a wrongful death, and it is four years if the case involves an assault.

You do not want to let the deadline come and go without taking action. Once the statute of limitations runs out, you miss the opportunity to assert your rights and demand just compensation. Contact our legal team in Pinellas County to determine the correct deadline for your case.

Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced St. Petersburg Negligent Security Lawyer

A property owner or business can potentially be liable if you’ve been the victim of a crime on their premises. Contact Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers to learn about your legal rights and options. Our St. Petersburg negligent security lawyers are ready to help you stand up and fight to make things right.

Benefit from a legal team with 300+ years of experience that’s won hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of deserving clients just like you.

Call our law office in St. Petersburg, Florida, to get started with a free consultation now.