Negligent Security in Maryland – Personal Injury Cases
It is quite a natural precedent to take care of invitees to your property. But when it comes to Maryland, this becomes a law. This means it becomes the duty of the homeowner to actually provide a safe, sound, and secure environment to the people living in the same property.
What does this entail? This covers all security issues, even including security measures, against criminal activity. This extends to the fact that property owners are held responsible for any kind of injuries or fatalities coming on to the residents or the invitees.
Negligent Security Claims
There might be situations when the property residents become a victim of violence in the same property. What are their options in this regard? Conviction and punishment are the two consequences of this act. However, what covers the losses incurred in these situations? This forms the basis of negligent security claims.
The victims can actually file a petition to recover monetary losses or damage. For this, they need to prove the offenders guilty along four different lines of clauses. These include:
- Duty of care
The first and most important clause rests with the property owner’s inability to keep the premises safe and secure. This means they were already aware of potential dangers and security threats on the property and yet were unable to find a solution.
- Breach
This includes the property owner’s carelessness in providing security to the residents. More often than not, this is the owner’s lack of caution or performance of a negligent action. What are some examples of a breach of the premises security from the owner’s point of view? The inability to install and maintain proper locking systems on the doors and windows is a major miss from the owner.
Also, if the premises does not have a dedicated security guard for the more unsafe places in the property, it becomes a matter of security breach. Another example of a security breach is the absence of proper lighting conditions in the hallways, staircases, parking areas, and the like.
- Causation
The third aspect that the victim needs to prove in this case is causation. This means that a proper connection has to be built between the inability of the owner or their failure with the actual event or crime. For instance, the victim can make a claim that the invaders could enter the property owing to the absence of a dedicated security guard or due to the presence of dark passages.
- Damages
Finally, Maryland law does not provide suitable monetary recovery unless the victim can establish or prove the range of losses incurred by them. This is not necessarily monetary. This could also include physical and mental losses. Proper evidence is required to be submitted for this purpose. One important proof here is a set of medical records that dictate the extent of losses suffered by the victim.
Contact a Maryland Personal Injury Attorney Today
By proving all the four conditions true, the victim can actually claim financial recovery for the criminal events on the property. If you believe you have been a victim of negligent security, contact the La Plata & Waldorf personal injury attorneys at the Law Office of Hammad S. Matin, P.A. today to schedule a consultation.
Resource:
mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/laws/StatuteText?article=gcj§ion=5-101&enactments=false
https://www.matinlaw.com/rollover-truck-accidents-some-of-the-most-deadly/
