Clearwater Negligent Security Lawyer

Have you been injured because of criminal activity at a business in Clearwater, Florida? You might have the right to sue the property owner if they had inadequate security measures in place to keep you safe. The experienced Clearwater negligent security lawyers at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers are ready to help you take a stand and demand the compensation you deserve.

We’re award-winning trial attorneys in Florida with over 300 years of combined experience. Since our founding in 1955, our law firm has been a constant source of strength and support for clients whose lives have been turned upside down by unexpected and dangerous acts of crime.

Don’t let the property owner off the hook. They failed to implement simple security measures that could have kept you safe. Call Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers at (727) 796-8282 and ask for our help holding them accountable.

We also handle premises liability cases, Clearwater assault injuries, Clearwater slips and falls, wrongful deaths, and more. We offer a free consultation, contact our Clearwater, FL, law office today.

How Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With Your Negligent Security Case in Clearwater, FL

How Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With Your Negligent Security Case in Clearwater, FL

How much security is enough? What types of security should the property owner or business have installed to prevent the type of attack you encountered? What will you need to prove to win your negligent security claim?

These are all critical questions as you begin to think about filing a negligent security lawsuit. However, the answers aren’t always straightforward. You’re also going to face considerable resistance from the property owner and their insurance company as they fight to prove that their security was enough.

You don’t have to handle all of this on your own. In fact, you shouldn’t. By hiring our experienced personal injury attorneys in Clearwater, FL, you give yourself the opportunity to recover and put your case in extremely qualified hands.

We’ll take care of your negligent security claim from start to finish:

  • Carefully evaluate the details and circumstances of the incident
  • Identify the security measures that the business or owner installed
  • Determine if those security protocols were sufficient to prevent the type of criminal activity that occurred
  • Determine if the criminal activity of which you were a victim was reasonably foreseeable
  • Gather evidence to build and support a strong claim for damages – like crime maps, police reports, witness statements, and medical records
  • Consult with experts and specialists who can provide insight into the specific details of your case
  • Handle settlement negotiations with the owner, their insurer, and other parties on your behalf
  • Prepare to bring your negligent security case to trial, if necessary

At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers, our negligent security attorneys in Clearwater work on a contingency fee basis. We don’t get paid a dime unless we win or settle your negligent security claim. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us by phone or online to learn more about how we can help.

What Is Negligent Security?

Negligent security falls under the umbrella of premises liability. Simply put, property owners have an obligation to keep invited guests and visitors safe from hazardous conditions on their premises. This includes reasonably foreseeable acts of crime

How can property owners protect you from reasonably foreseeable acts of crime? Security.

If security is lacking and a guest is injured because of criminal activity on the premises, then the owner can be financially responsible for the guest’s injuries and/or wrongful death.

Are Property Owners Always Civilly Liable for Criminal Activity on Their Premises?

No. It’s all relative. Not every business in Clearwater will need to have security that rivals Fort Knox.

For example, a high-end jewelry store in Clearwater would need more security than a small boutique that sells moderately-priced items. Similarly, a gas station in a crime-prone part of the city would need more substantial security than a hotel in the safest part of town.

Ultimately, property owners and businesses must simply have security measures in place that are appropriate, given:

  • The type of business/establishment they run
  • The business’s location, and
  • The type and history of crime in the area.

Depending on the specific threats that could be posed to a business, necessary security might include:

  • Deadbolts and door locks
  • Security cameras
  • Adequate lighting on the premises, including in parking lots or parking structures
  • Bouncers or security guards
  • Trained staff with knowledge of how to diffuse a dangerous situation
  • Signs indicating that there’s limited cash on the premises
  • Signs indicating that the premises are under surveillance

Florida law does have specific security requirements for convenience stores. Under Florida Statute 812.171, a convenience store is primarily engaged in the retail sale of groceries and/or gasoline that’s open between 11 PM and 5 AM. Since these types of stores tend to be susceptible to crime, Florida law requires owners to take certain steps to reduce the likelihood of crime and protect workers and consumers.

Among other things, convenience stores must limit cash on the premises, limit signage on front windows so the view inside isn’t obscured, and have appropriate surveillance protocols in place.

What Do I Have To Prove To Win My Clearwater Negligent Security Case?

Negligent security claims are a matter of negligence. So, in order to successfully recover compensation for your injuries, you’ll have the burden of proving that the property owner was negligent.

Specifically, you’ll need to show:

  • The property owner owed you a duty of care because you were lawfully on the premises
  • You were injured as a result of a third-party criminal incident on the premises
  • The criminal activity was reasonably foreseeable, given the property’s purpose, location, and the history of crime in the area
  • The property owner breached its duty of care to you by not having adequate security in place to protect you from this reasonably foreseeable crime
  • You’ve suffered damages as a result

In other words, you probably wouldn’t have been injured if the property owner had appropriate security in place. 

We Handle All Types of Negligent Security Lawsuits in Clearwater

At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers, we represent clients in negligent security claims involving:

  • Assaults
  • Sexual assaults
  • Muggings
  • Robbery
  • Gun violence
  • Rape

If you’ve been the victim of a crime or injured because of criminal activity on someone else’s property in Clearwater, call our personal injury attorneys for help. We can review the details of your story, explain your legal rights, and begin to devise a strategy to help you recover compensation from the negligent owner.

What Damages Can I Recover With a Negligent Security Lawsuit?

You can suffer serious injuries and incur a lot of costs when you’re assaulted or attacked. Fortunately, by filing a negligent security claim against the property owner, you can potentially recover compensation for both economic and non-economic losses.

Economic damages are paid to compensate for the verifiable financial costs and losses related to your case, such as:

Non-economic damages are paid to help you cope with the trauma and unexpected changes to your life that might occur, like:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Chronic physical pain
  • Emotional distress
  • Physical scarring
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Depression and anxiety

Our negligent security attorneys in Clearwater will carefully evaluate your specific situation and work to understand how you’ve been personally and financially impacted by your injuries. We’ll aggressively seek all of the compensation that’s available to you under Florida state law.

How Long Do I Have To File a Negligent Security Claim in Florida?

In Florida, you’ll generally have four years from the date you suffer an injury to file a negligent security lawsuit.

If a family member was killed due to criminal activity on someone else’s property, you’ll have just two years to bring a wrongful death action.

This probably sounds like a lot of time. However, time can pass by quickly, especially when you’re struggling to recover from serious physical injuries and devastating emotional trauma. Protect yourself and your legal rights by reaching out to a member of our Clearwater personal injury law firm as soon as you can.

Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Clearwater Negligent Security Lawyer

Have you been injured because of criminal activity at a business in Clearwater, Florida? Whether you were assaulted at a hotel or mugged in the parking lot of a convenience store, you may have the right to file a lawsuit against the owner. Through a lawsuit, you can hold them legally responsible for their failure to implement appropriate security to keep you safe.

You don’t have to navigate a complicated legal claim on your own, though. Our experienced Clearwater negligent security lawyers are ready to help you fight to get the financial accountability you deserve.

Call Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers and benefit from a team with 300+ years of collective experience that’s won hundreds of millions of dollars for clients like you.

We offer a free case assessment, so contact us to get started today.

Our Clearwater, FL personal injury law firm in Pinellas County also provides: