Last Updated September 19, 2026
Short answer
A negligent security claim is a premises case. Someone was assaulted, robbed, or otherwise hurt by a third person, and the question is whether the owner or operator failed to use reasonable care. A crime on the property is not enough by itself.
Parking lots. Apartment stairwells. Hotel corridors. Gas stations after dark. The attacker is often gone, or has no money. Families then look at the lighting, the locks, the cameras, and whether this had happened there before. That is a different file from slip and fall, but it still lives in premises law.
What “reasonable care” means here
Owners are not insurers of everyone who walks onto the property. The usual question is whether they knew or should have known about a risk of this kind of crime and failed to take reasonable steps — lighting, locks, patrols, working cameras, a gate that actually closes. Prior similar incidents can matter. So can the neighborhood pattern. State law supplies the details. See Alabama and Georgia.
The attacker and the property are different defendants
A criminal case against the attacker, if there is one, does not pay medical bills. A civil claim against the attacker may go nowhere if there are no assets. The property claim is about conditions and notice. It still has to be proven. Do not assume a hotel or apartment brand will write a check because the marketing said “safe.”
How a claim often moves
- 1
Get medical care and a police report.
- 2
Write down the exact place, the lighting, and anyone who saw it.
- 3
Keep clothing and shoes if they were torn or bloody.
- 4
Speak with an attorney before you give a recorded statement to the property’s insurer.
How Brock & Stout can help
We look at the property, the prior history, and the medical file — not just the crime itself. Call or request a free consultation. We cannot promise a particular result.
Frequently asked questions
Personal injury claims are subject to filing deadlines, and the deadline that applies can depend on the facts of the case. Different notice requirements may apply depending on who is involved. Do not use this website to calculate a filing deadline. Speak with an attorney promptly.
No. The claim still has to show the owner or operator failed to use reasonable care and that the failure matters. A crime on the lot is the start of the facts, not the end of the law.
Related resources
- Claims Against the Government — Claims Against the Government
If a city, county, state agency, or the federal government may be responsible, the claim is not a normal private-injury file. Written notice is often required before you can sue. The contents, the person who must receive it, and the timing are picky. We do not post those intervals here.
- Evidence in Injury Claims — Evidence in Injury Claims
Evidence is how you show what happened and how you were hurt. Photos, reports, medical records, and witnesses are the usual core. Some evidence, like store video, is overwritten on a short cycle. Ask for it promptly.
- Psychological Effects After an Injury — Psychological Effects After an Injury
A traumatic event can be followed by anxiety, depression, sleep problems, or post-traumatic stress. Those conditions are diagnosed by clinicians, not by a law-firm website. When they are documented, they can be part of damages. They are not automatic.
- Slip and Fall Injury Claims — Slip and Fall Injury Claims
You may have a claim if a property owner or occupier failed to use reasonable care and that failure caused your fall. Wet floors, broken stairs, poor lighting, and unmarked hazards are common fact patterns. Falling is not enough by itself. The owner’s knowledge of the hazard often matters.
- Traumatic Brain Injury After an Accident — Traumatic Brain Injury After an Accident
A traumatic brain injury is caused by a bump, blow, jolt, or penetrating injury. Symptoms can show up later. This page summarizes public medical information. It is not a diagnosis and it does not estimate a case value.
Injured and not sure what to do next?
Call now or request a free case evaluation. We can review what happened and explain options. We cannot promise a particular result.
This page is general educational information about personal injury claims as of the date shown. It is not legal advice, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and does not guarantee a result. Facts, insurance coverage, and state law vary. Do not use this website to calculate a filing deadline. Personal Injury Knowledge Center
