Our Results Make a Difference
Explore How We Have Helped Our Clients
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$73.21 Million Verdict Birth Injury
The Buckingham & Vega legal team secured a $73.21 million verdict on behalf of a baby who was catastrophically injured due to the negligence of their doctor and medical team.
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Record-Setting $72 Million Verdict Birth Injury
The Buckingham & Vega team obtained a $72 Million verdict in a birth injury case when an OB/ GYN failed to properly monitor the mom during pregnancy.
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$16 Million Truck Accident
Buckingham & Vega obtained a $16 million settlement in a truck accident case. The truck driver was speeding and inattentive (texting) and crashed into the rear of a pickup truck stopped at a stoplight.
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$14 Million Dram Shop Liability
Our team obtained a $14 million dram shop verdict on behalf of a client who was injured due to negligence.
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13 Million Work Injury
Buckingham & Vega represented an oilfield worker who was killed when their company failed to properly train its employees on how to safely move waste bins. Our client was killed when he became trapped between two bins.
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13 Million Truck Accident
Our team secured a 13 million settlement in a truck accident case. An eighteen-wheeler made an unsafe turn in front of a car driven by a grandmother and her family. The grandmother was killed and the family suffered severe injuries.
When Does a Lack of Security Become Negligent?
Determining when a lack of security constitutes negligence is a complex process that hinges on a variety of factors. Negligent security falls under premises liability law, which generally applies in all 50 states. However, some states have specific laws governing negligent security that can impact how your case must be handled. Our negligent security attorneys are well-versed in premises liability and can walk you through your rights and legal options if you were the victim of a crime on someone else’s property.
Generally, the key to understanding what is considered negligent security is the concept of “foreseeability.” Foreseeability refers to the property owner's ability to predict or anticipate that a crime could occur. If an owner has reasonable grounds to foresee potential criminal activity and takes no action to prevent it, then the lack of security can be deemed negligent. This could be based on prior incidents of crime on the property or if the property is located in an area known for high criminal activity. The owner has a basic responsibility to act upon such knowledge and implement appropriate security measures.
The degree of security measures implemented must also be proportional to the risk. For example, a 24-hour convenience store located in an area with high crime rates would be expected to have more comprehensive security than a rural property with a low crime rate. A failure to match the level of security to the level of risk could also be considered negligent.
Furthermore, negligence can be identified when there is a clear violation of standard security practices. These standards could be specified by laws, regulations, or industry practices and include measures such as sufficient lighting, functional security systems, and the presence of security personnel. Ignoring these standards exhibits a disregard for the safety of individuals on the property and consequently, can be interpreted as negligence should a visitor suffer injuries due to resulting criminal activity.
Examples of negligent security include:
- Inadequate lighting. Poorly lit parking lots, hallways, or stairwells can pose a significant risk to individuals, making them susceptible to robberies, assaults, or other forms of violence. Proper illumination is a basic requirement to ensure visibility and deter criminal activities.
- Faulty or nonexistent security systems. The absence of functional security systems such as surveillance cameras, alarms, or locks can significantly compromise the safety of individuals on a property. A property equipped with non-functional security systems gives a false sense of security, thereby increasing vulnerability to criminal activity.
- Lack of or inadequate security personnel. A lack of security personnel can often signify negligence, particularly in venues that attract large crowds or are located in areas with a high crime rate.
- Failure to respond to security alerts. When property owners or managers ignore or respond inadequately to security threats or breaches, they are failing in their duty to ensure safety. This could be ignoring a triggered alarm or not acting on reports of suspicious activities or malfunctioning security equipment.
- Inadequate maintenance and inspections. Property owners have the responsibility to regularly inspect and maintain their property. Broken gates, malfunctioning doors, or weak window latches are examples of inadequate maintenance that could provide easy access to criminals.
What Types of Injuries Can Stem from Negligent Security?
Negligent security can result in a wide array of injuries, some of which can have long-term consequences. While the criminal or criminals who cause harm are of course directly responsible for these injuries, the negligence of property owners who fail to maintain sufficient security measures makes their actions possible.
Negligent security can lead to criminal activity that results in many types of injuries, including:
