Maison Law represents victims hurt during criminal acts made possible by a lack of security provided by California supermarkets. Our negligent security lawyers help the victims of assault earn the support they need to make a full recovery. Please contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. It’s a no-risk opportunity to find out what your injury and terrifying ordeal should be worth and how to hold grocery store chains fully responsible.
What Is Negligent Security?
“Negligent security” is a legal concept that describes the “duty of care” business owe their customers, clients, and all visitors to keep them safe from criminal acts. Negligent security involves a store’s lack of action to keep customers protected inside and in the parking lot. A case might hinge on the fact that a store didn’t replace light bulbs to keep a parking lot fully lit to deter criminals. There may be too few security guards employed to watch over every section of a large store like Walmart.
These lapses in security and others all leave a grocery store owner or a corporate chain responsible for helping victims with their medical bills after an attack. Owners and operators may also be held liable for the emotional trauma a scary and violent attack may cause.
The person or people who commit an assault will be facing a criminal trial, but victims don’t need to wait on the outcome to file a negligent security claim. These are two different cases, and the personal injury claim against store owners would be decided separately. Victims can file this civil claim as soon as they are ready. They don’t have to wait on the outcome of criminal proceedings.
If you suffer a serious injury in an attack in or near a grocery store, a California negligent security lawyer can assist you in holding a store fully liable. Your Maison Law lawyer also demands the most in compensation available for what you and your family have been put through. The corporate lawyers working for a giant store chain will try to find ways for the store to wiggle out of accepting responsibility, but your lawyer will have the evidence ready to hold them liable.
What Makes a Supermarket Negligent When It Comes to Shopper Safety?
Supermarkets like Albertsons or Ralph’s will be focused on profits, and sometimes they can forget their duty to keep shoppers completely safe. That responsibility doesn’t just cover those aisles and the produce section.
The parking lots and sidewalks around the store are either the property or the responsibility of store owners. When criminal threats are at an increased risk, shoppers must be warned. Knowing there’s an increased risk means supermarket operators must take action to increase security around the store. If they don’t take proper measures and someone gets robbed and/or assaulted, the store could be responsible.
These are just some of the examples of negligence that can leave a grocery store liable:
- A lack of security guards or police officers in the store and patrolling the parking lot.
- A lack of training for security personnel.
- Malfunctioning security cameras.
- Broken locks on back doors and broken alarms allowing criminal entry into the store.
- Failure to keep people who have committed crimes or acts of violence at the store before off the property.
- Not enough lighting in parking lots, along sidewalks, and outside entrances.
- Inadequate measures to keep guests safe from the violent actions of other visitors or employees.
- Failure to do proper background checks on all employees working at the store.
- Failure to warn visitors of a surge of criminal attacks in the area.
Who Is Responsible for a Frightening Attack at a Grocery Store?
We are never completely shielded from criminal acts. It’s a sad fact of life. But when we are in a public place or at a business, it’s more than just a criminal suspect that can face liability.
The places we shop owe us more than just the right to swipe our credit cards. As they sell us items, they must also monitor for security threats. They must provide proper lighting and eliminate blind spots in parking lots where a criminal suspect could lurk.
When a supermarket is negligent in these duties, people can be subjected to frightening attacks. They may be struck by fists or a blunt object during an encounter with a violent person. People may suffer a bullet wound or a stab wound during an armed robbery. Afterward, victims may need substantial support to be able to afford surgeries and physical therapy. After a fatal attack, families may require immediate support to be able to pay funeral costs and to avoid bankruptcy due to the loss of income the deceased may have provided.
These and other costs can be sought from anyone who contributed to the factors that allowed an assault to occur. The guilty parties might include:
- A local store owner
- A corporate supermarket chain
- Shopping center owners and operators
- A negligent security company
In some cases, there may be more than one party that should provide you and your family with support. Your Maison Law attorney identifies every person or corporate entity that should contribute to your recovery and holds them financially accountable for what happened to you.
What Kinds of Things Factor into a Settlement Check After an Assault?
Your California personal injury lawyer is vigilant in documenting every hardship you endure after a criminal attack. Every damage must be included in a claim because anything left off would be something the commercial liability insurance provider wouldn’t have to compensate you for.
You and your family will be asking for help with economic damages, like the cost of paying medical bills and reimbursement of stolen money and possessions. Criminal acts can also leave emotional scars on victims and these non-economic damages must also be part of a settlement check.
These are just some of the factors that will be considered when deciding the size of a negligent security settlement check:
- Money to pay every medical bill, including for care expected to be needed in the months ahead.
- A lifetime of support for victims who are left to live with a physical disability after an attack. The same sort of support for those left with scars or permanent disfigurement.
- Support for the physical pain victims must go through.
- Support for the emotional trauma crime victims experience after an attack and throughout their lives.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Loss of companionship with an injured spouse or partner.
- Support to pay for psychological counseling.
- Travel costs for patients who must make doctor’s appointments while unable to drive and possibly in wheelchairs or on crutches.
- Restoration of financial losses due to theft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my family seek support if a loved one is killed during a grocery store assault?
Yes. Families may file a wrongful death claim against a negligent store chain. This claim seeks support for funeral costs and leftover medical bills. The family must also seek support for care, guidance, and financial support that will no longer be available in the future.
How long do I have to file a negligent security claim in California?
Victims and their families have up to two years from the incident to file an injury claim. Act as soon as possible though. Your lawyer should begin collecting evidence showing the store’s negligence as soon as possible.
What if I can’t afford to pay a negligent supervision lawyer?
You can still secure strong legal protection for your loved ones. Maison Law doesn’t accept payment unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement check a grocery store provides.
Contact a California Negligent Security Attorney
Maison Law understands how traumatizing a criminal attack can be for victims. We want to stand up for the victim’s rights and seek to secure what they need in recovery while giving the injured victim time to focus on healing. We have a long history of standing up to giant corporations and store chains to make sure the victims of their negligence get the support necessary to rebuild their lives.
Contact Maison Law to understand your rights after such a traumatic incident. Our California negligent security lawyers offer a free case consultation to victims and their families. It’s a no-risk way to find out how to hold supermarkets responsible for a failure in security that leads to an attack.
