California is home to various famous and busy shopping malls, from the Stanford Shopping Center to Santa Monica Place. As with any other business in California, shopping malls have a legal responsibility to keep patrons safe from any harm that could have been prevented. When you visit a shopping mall, you expect that you will be shopping in the safest environment possible. Unfortunately, when your security and safety is compromised, it can lead to devastating results.
At Maison Law, our California negligent security lawyers are here to help you hold liable parties responsible for an accident that resulted from negligence in security. You deserve to be safe in a shopping mall and if this safety was breached, you have options moving forward. Please contact us today for a free and no-obligation consultation.
Crimes Committed in Stores and Malls
Whether you are browsing or making a purchase at a shopping mall, you deserve the safest environment possible. Unfortunately, shopping malls are not free from a variety of crimes, such as theft, assault, and more. Innocent victims are hurt yearly in these horrific incidents that can typically be prevented. In the blink of an eye, a violent act could take place in a parking lot, bathroom, or a dressing room.
Shopping malls are supposed to take safety measures to ensure that crimes like these are prevented. These include making sure that security cameras are in use throughout malls and making sure that parking lots are lit up all hours of the day. If the owner of a shopping mall failed to take these safety measures, they could be found negligent when a crime occurs on the property and leads to catastrophe.
Security Measures Malls in California Should Take
To prevent serious harm that could result from negligent security in a shopping mall, stores and malls can take reasonable safety measures. These measures include some of the following:
Hiring Security: Security personnel should always be hired to patrol shopping centers and prevent incidents, as well as respond in a timely manner if they do occur.
Installing Cameras: When security cameras are present in a shopping mall, they can help deter criminal activity. If a crime takes place on the premises, a security camera can be useful to help identify perpetrators involved in the crime.
Proper Lighting: When adequate lighting is in parking lots, it can deter criminals from certain activities. It also makes customers less vulnerable on these properties.
Limited Access: Shopping malls can limit certain areas of malls so that people cannot enter. These include storage areas and backroom entrances.
Employee Training: Criminal activity is less likely to occur when employees are specifically trained to identify and respond to threats in shopping malls.
Shopping Mall Liability in a Negligent Security Case
Property owners of shopping malls must take reasonable measures to ensure the safety of patrons at all times. With evidence, a patron who was injured in a negligent security incident at a shopping mall can bring a successful claim. Liability depends on the following aspects:
- The shopping mall owed its plaintiffs a legal duty of care to keep the mall safe.
- The defendant breached its duty of care by failing to provide adequate security.
- The lack in security led to your harm, such as through an attack or assault.
- You suffered damages as a result of the attack or assault in the shopping mall.
If a crime was foreseeable and you have sustained harm because the shopping mall did nothing or very little to prevent it, you may have a successful negligent security claim. It is important that you consider all of your legal options as you move forward with a case.
Hiring an Experienced California Negligent Security Lawyer
As a patron at a shopping mall, you deserve specific protections from harm. You are not alone if you have sustained harm on a shopping mall premises, as these incidents affect many victims every year in California. Our experienced and knowledgeable team of California negligent security lawyers at Maison Law are here for you during one of the most difficult experiences of your life. We will provide you with the expertise and knowledge that you need to obtain financial support. Please do not hesitate to contact us today for a free consultation regarding your California negligent security case.
