Property owners in Morgantown and throughout the state are required to ensure the safety of lawful visitors to their properties. Under the state’s premises liability laws, this means addressing foreseeable safety hazards, but it can also mean ensuring appropriate security measures in high-crime areas. If you were harmed by a criminal act on someone else’s property, you need to speak with a Morgantown negligent security lawyer.
The team at Meadows Law PLLC has extensive experience representing clients in all types of premises liability cases throughout the Morgantown area, including negligent security claims. If you believe a property owner has failed to ensure appropriate security measures on a property in a high-crime area and you have suffered harm as a result of this failure, you have the right to pursue compensation for your damages.
An experienced attorney can help you build a cohesive negligent security claim aimed at maximizing your recovery. Our goal in every premises liability case we represent is to help our clients secure compensation for their damages by holding negligent property owners accountable. Negligent security claims can be complex in many ways, so it is important that you have legal counsel you trust on your side if you intend to file this type of claim.
Our firm will meet with you to listen to your side of the story and explain the legal services we can provide that may help you recover. If a property owner was negligent with the security of their premises that enabled the criminal act against you, we can help you create a roadmap for your forthcoming legal proceedings and do everything we can to maximize your recovery.
A premises liability claim is a type of personal injury case in which an injured plaintiff seeks compensation for damages caused by a defendant. In a premises liability case, the injured plaintiff must prove that they were lawfully present on the property and that they suffered an injury due to the property owner’s negligent care of the property. Negligent security cases focus on injuries resulting from crime that occurs on private property.
The issue of foreseeability often comes into question in these cases. Property owners in West Virginia are expected to use good judgment for properties in high-crime areas, and they owe a duty of care to lawful visitors to their properties to reduce the risk that they will be harmed by any type of criminal act that might occur on the property. For many property owners, it means ensuring appropriate security measures.
Different types of properties need different forms of security. Door and window locks, secured entryways, security cameras, and proper lighting in stairwells and entrances are just a few examples of security features that can reduce the risk of a lawful visitor, guest, customer, or tenant being harmed by a criminal act. If you believe your recent experience only occurred due to a lack of reasonable security measures, you likely have grounds to file a claim.
The main objective of any personal injury case is for the injured plaintiff to hold a defendant accountable for the damages the plaintiff suffered due to the defendant’s actions. The victim of a criminal act may have suffered a physical assault, sexual assault, robbery, or a combination of damages. They may have sustained both economic and non-economic losses, and their negligent security lawyer in Morgantown can help them accurately calculate their damages.
Economic damages in most West Virginia personal injury cases include medical expenses, lost income, and property losses. For example, the victim of a violent robbery may have had personal items stolen, suffered physical injuries, and may be unable to work while they recover from the incident. In this case, the victim has the right to seek compensation for the value of their stolen property, the medical care they need to recover, and the income they are unable to earn.
It is also possible for an injured plaintiff to seek compensation for the pain and suffering they experienced. This can be difficult to quantify, and it is possible that the victim of a criminal act due to negligent security may have not only suffered physical pain but also significant psychological distress from the experience. Your attorney can help you determine a reasonable amount of pain and suffering compensation to seek with your claim.
The team at Meadows Law PLLC has helped many injured clients navigate difficult premises liability cases, and we are fully aware of the unique challenges that a negligent security claim might present. You may have trouble gathering the evidence you need to prove that a property owner was negligent in the handling of their property, and you may also need assistance overcoming any allegations of comparative fault.
Property owners may seek swift settlements in these cases to avoid reputational harm, and you will need an experienced attorney’s help to navigate settlement negotiations successfully. However, litigation may be required in some cases, so you need an attorney who understands the laws that apply to your case and how to represent you in the courtroom.
Meadows Law PLLC can meet with you to learn as much as possible about your experience, conduct a thorough investigation of the incident and the state of the property where it occurred, and help you determine your most viable avenues of legal recourse against the negligent property owner. If you have grounds to file a case against them, we can explain what to expect and provide ongoing support through all phases of your proceedings.
If you plan to file a negligent security claim in Morgantown, you have a limited time in which to do so. It is crucial to speak with a Morgantown negligent security lawyer as quickly as possible after the incident to have the greatest chance of success with your case. Contact Meadows Law PLLC today to schedule your free consultation with an experienced Morgantown negligent security lawyer and learn how we can help.
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