Inadequate Security

Massachusetts Lawyer Representing Victims With Premises Liability Claims

Property owners have an obligation under Massachusetts law to ensure that their buildings and the surrounding premises are safe for guests, shoppers, tenants, and acquaintances. This includes making repairs and providing warnings. Landowners also have a duty to provide protection from third party injuries like robberies or attacks. Many landowners fail to make sure that their premises have adequate security, putting everyone on that property at risk of becoming the victim of a crime. A skilled Massachusetts premises liability attorney at the Law Offices of Barry Feinstein and Affiliates P.C. can help victims of assault and other attacks seek the civil damages that they deserve following accidents that likely could have been prevented if not for inadequate security.

Identifying Dangerous Locations

There are countless criminal acts that can take place on another person’s property where security measures are lacking like robberies, sexual assault, and workplace violence. Many of these attacks could have been prevented through simple and reasonably priced measures like security lights or surveillance cameras. Some prime locations for third-party violence include ATMs, where people go at all hours of the day to withdraw funds. This becomes an attractive target for robbers who want to take your cash from you the minute the machine spits it out. Parking garages are also a dangerous location because they are often devoid of other people and provide plenty of concealment from the outside world. Motels and other hospitality locations can be dangerous if the locks on the external and internal doors are not working properly. This is also true of apartment buildings where the main door is open to the general public allowing anyone to come inside. College campuses can also present many dangers, especially late at night as students are walking back to the dorms or leaving the premises.

Premises Liability Law in Massachusetts

A third-party attack can be incredibly dangerous and even life-threatening in some situations. To prevail in a lawsuit against the owner of a property who failed to take reasonable safety precautions the victim must show first that the defendant owned the property and that he or she was on the property lawfully. In other words, you cannot be trespassing at the time the attack occurred. Next, you must show that the property owner did not address inadequate security measures in a reasonable way, such as failing to fix a security light or failing to hire a security guard to patrol the grounds. This can be easier to prove if the premises is located in an area were crime occurs frequently or if prior attacks have happened on or near the property. Finally, you must prove that you were injured as a result of the failure to provide adequate security and that the injury you sustained was foreseeable.

If you are successful in establishing these elements to show that there was inadequate security, then you can receive compensation for the injuries that you suffered. This can include past and estimated future medical bills, prescriptions, physical therapy, and other expenses related to your physical injuries. You may also require counseling or other psychiatric support to cope with the attack. If you were unable to work as a result of the injuries, then you can receive compensation for your lost wages. In the unfortunate event that you are rendered permanently disabled and unable to return to your usual occupation, you can seek compensation for your loss of earning potential. An experienced premises liability attorney can help you make sure that you seek the full amount of compensation that you deserve.

Meet with a Massachusetts Lawyer About Your Premises Liability Case

Most people who suffer an injury in a premises liability action have countless questions about whether they are entitled to compensation and how they should proceed. We provide a free consultation to help you learn more about Massachusetts law and whether an attorney at our firm can help you. Our team is available to serve clients throughout the area, including in areas around Boston, Cambridge, Lowell, Newton, Somerville, Waltham, Quincy, Norwood, Brookline, Dedham, and Peabody. To set up your consultation call us at  (800) 262-9200 or contact us online to get stated.