Negligent Security Attorney in Canton
Holding Property Owners Accountable for Preventable Crime
Hasty Pope, LLP has represented injured people in Canton and Cherokee County since 1953. As part of our premises liability practice, we handle negligent security claims against property owners, landlords, and business operators whose failure to maintain reasonable safety measures allowed a foreseeable crime to harm someone on their property. Our attorneys carry more than 150 years of combined legal experience, and we’ve recovered over $100 million for clients across personal injury cases.
If you or a family member were assaulted, robbed, or otherwise harmed on someone else’s property in Canton, you may have a civil claim against the parties responsible for securing that property.
Call us at (770) 741-1951 to schedule a free consultation. We’re available 24/7, offer remote appointments, and serve clients in English and Spanish. There’s no fee unless we recover compensation for you.
What Negligent Security Means Under Georgia Law
Negligent security is a branch of premises liability law. Georgia property owners have a legal duty to protect lawful visitors from foreseeable criminal harm. When an owner fails to provide reasonable security measures and that failure allows a crime to occur, the victim may hold the owner civilly liable for the resulting injuries.
To pursue a negligent security claim in Georgia, a claimant generally must establish four elements:
The four elements of a Georgia negligent security claim:
- Duty: The property owner owed a duty of care to the injured person
- Breach: The owner failed to provide adequate security given the property’s type, location, and history
- Causation: That failure was a proximate cause of the criminal incident
- Damages: The claimant suffered compensable harm as a result
A central issue in most of these cases is foreseeability. Property owners aren’t insurers against all crime, but they can be held liable when the risk of criminal activity was reasonably foreseeable, typically demonstrated through a history of similar incidents at or near the property. Customers, tenants, and others invited onto a property for a mutual purpose are classified as invitees under Georgia law and are owed the highest duty of care.
Where Negligent Security Incidents Occur
Negligent security claims arise on both residential and commercial properties. Apartment complexes, hotels, parking lots and garages, convenience stores, bars and nightclubs, retail centers, and office buildings all generate these claims when their security measures fall short.
Common security failures that may support a claim include:
Security failures courts have recognized:
- Insufficient lighting in parking areas, hallways, or common spaces
- Broken, absent, or malfunctioning surveillance cameras
- Inadequate locks or compromised access points
- No security personnel on properties where the risk profile warrants them
- Failure to act on prior criminal incidents at the location
Liability doesn’t stop with the property owner. Management companies and third-party security contractors can also face civil liability when their personnel fail to perform their duties adequately. In some circumstances, government entities may bear liability for negligent security on public properties, subject to applicable limitations.
Georgia’s Statute of Limitations & Comparative Fault Rules
In Georgia, personal injury claims, including negligent security cases, must generally be filed within two years of the date of injury. Missing that deadline typically bars the claim entirely, regardless of how strong the underlying facts are.
Georgia also follows a modified comparative negligence rule. A claimant found to be 50 percent or more at fault cannot recover damages. Below that threshold, any award is reduced proportionally by the claimant’s percentage of fault. Multiple parties can be named in a single claim, and Georgia law allows you to pursue all parties whose conduct contributed to the harm.
Acting quickly matters beyond the filing deadline. Surveillance footage is often overwritten within days, incident reports get disputed, and witness accounts become harder to reconstruct. Contacting a negligent security attorney in Canton as soon as possible after an incident can give us the opportunity to preserve the evidence that matters.
Compensation Available in a Negligent Security Case
A successful claim may recover both economic and non-economic losses.
Economic damages can include:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity
- Rehabilitation and prescription costs
Non-economic damages may cover:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and psychological trauma
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement or permanent disability
The value of any claim depends on the severity of the injuries, the degree of the property owner’s fault, the foreseeability of the harm, and the strength of the evidence. When a negligent security incident results in death, surviving family members may have grounds for a wrongful death claim as well.
Why Canton Clients Bring These Cases to Hasty Pope, LLP
We’ve practiced personal injury law in Canton and Cherokee County since 1953, more than 70 years of local litigation experience. We know the courts, the community, and what it takes to build a compelling premises liability case in this jurisdiction.
Negligent security cases require a thorough investigation into the property’s security history, prior incident reports, maintenance records, and the conduct of any security contractors involved. We develop a tailored strategy for each case and work to identify every party whose negligence contributed to the harm, whether that’s a property owner, a management company, or a contracted security firm. Throughout the process, we prioritize clear, consistent communication so you know where your case stands at every stage.
Free Consultations for Canton Negligent Security Victims
If you were harmed due to inadequate security on someone else’s property, we’re ready to review your case at no charge. We represent clients on a contingency basis, meaning you pay no legal fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf. We serve Canton, Cherokee County, and clients throughout Georgia.
We’re available 24/7, offer remote consultations, and provide bilingual service in English and Spanish. Contact Hasty Pope, LLP today at (770) 741-1951 to get started.