Negligent Security in California

Holding Property Owners Accountable for Dangerous Conditions

Injured Due to Inadequate Security?

We Help Victims Across California Seek Justice

Property owners in California have a legal obligation to provide adequate security measures to protect visitors and residents from foreseeable crimes. When they fail—whether it’s a lack of lighting in a parking lot, broken locks at an apartment complex, or no security staff at a hotel—the consequences can be life-changing. Victims of assaults, robberies, or other violent crimes may be entitled to compensation if a property owner’s negligence contributed to their injuries. Our firm represents people across California in negligent security cases, working tirelessly to hold property owners and businesses accountable.

Types of Negligent Security Cases We Handle

Protecting Victims of Preventable Crimes

We help victims pursue claims against property owners and businesses in a wide range of negligent security scenarios:

Apartment Complex Attacks

Broken gates, malfunctioning locks, and poor lighting can leave tenants vulnerable to assaults and break-ins.

Parking Lot & Garage Incidents

Dimly lit or unmonitored parking areas are common sites for robberies and violent crimes.

Bar and Nightclub Violence

Fights, shootings, or stabbings may result from a lack of trained security staff or failure to control dangerous patrons.

Hotel & Resort Crimes

Tourists and guests may suffer injuries due to inadequate safety measures in hotels or vacation rentals.

Workplace Attacks

Employers have a duty to protect workers from foreseeable harm in certain situations.

Retail Store & Mall Crimes

Businesses must take steps to ensure customer safety, especially in high-crime areas.

Negligent Security Claims in California

Know Your Rights as a Victim

Negligent security cases in California can be complex, often involving questions about whether the crime was foreseeable and whether the property owner took reasonable steps to prevent it. These claims require careful investigation and evidence gathering, including police reports, security footage, and prior crime data in the area. California law allows victims to hold property owners financially accountable, but there is a limited window to act.

Two-Year Filing Deadline:

Negligent security lawsuits in California must be filed within two years of the incident.

Foreseeability Standard:

Property owners may be liable if they knew—or should have known—about prior similar crimes and failed to act.

Common High-Risk Locations:

Apartment complexes, bars, hotels, and parking lots are frequent sites for negligent security claims.

Common Negligent Security Questions

What Victims Across California Need to Know

  • What is negligent security and how do I know if I have a case?
    Negligent security refers to a property owner’s failure to take reasonable measures to protect guests, residents, or customers from foreseeable criminal acts. In California, if you were attacked, assaulted, robbed, or otherwise harmed on someone else’s property, you may be able to hold them liable if they failed to provide adequate safety precautions. This might include broken locks, lack of surveillance, missing security personnel, poor lighting, or failure to respond to past incidents on the property. The key legal concept is foreseeability—whether the property owner knew or should have known there was a risk of crime and failed to act accordingly. To have a case, your attorney will investigate prior criminal activity on the premises, the nature of the location, and whether reasonable steps were taken to prevent harm.
  • Can I really sue a business or landlord if I was attacked by someone else?
    Yes. While the person who committed the assault or crime is the most direct cause of harm, California law also recognizes that certain businesses, landlords, and property managers can be liable for failing to protect against foreseeable criminal acts. This includes places like apartment complexes, hotels, nightclubs, parking garages, or even retail stores. The law doesn’t expect property owners to prevent all crime—but it does require them to take basic, reasonable steps if they know—or should know—that crime is likely. That might mean hiring security guards, installing cameras, fixing broken entry points, or providing sufficient lighting.
  • How do I prove a property owner failed to provide adequate security?
    Proving negligent security means showing that the property owner was aware—or should have been aware—of the risk of crime and did not take reasonable steps to prevent it. This often requires a detailed investigation into the history of the property, including past incidents, police reports, 911 call logs, and whether security measures were implemented or ignored. For example, if there were multiple assaults in a parking lot and the property owner failed to add lighting or security patrols, that’s strong evidence of negligence. Your attorney may also consult security experts, subpoena surveillance records, and analyze safety protocols.
  • What types of damages can I recover in a negligent security claim?
    If your case is successful, you may be entitled to recover compensation for a wide range of damages. These include medical expenses, therapy or counseling, lost income or future earnings, and the cost of relocating or making safety changes to your life. Non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and PTSD, are also a critical part of the claim. Negligent security cases often involve emotional injuries that don’t show up on an x-ray—fear, anxiety, nightmares, lost trust, and changes to your daily life. These are all valid harms in the eyes of the law.
  • What if I’m scared to go public or confront the property owner?
    You’re not required to go public in the way you might think. Most negligent security cases are resolved privately through settlement negotiations or closed-door legal proceedings. Your attorney can protect your identity, limit your exposure, and manage the process so you don’t have to face the property owner directly unless you choose to. It’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed or afraid, especially when your injuries are tied to violence or trauma. But you don’t have to carry this alone. The civil legal system exists to give survivors a way to regain a sense of control—not to retraumatize them.
  • What if the property owner claims they didn’t know about the risk?
    This is one of the most common defenses—and one your attorney will be prepared to challenge. Under California law, property owners aren’t only responsible for what they knew, but also what they should have known. This is called constructive notice, and it applies if a reasonable owner would have been aware of the risk through regular inspections, incident reports, or community crime data. Your legal team can request crime statistics for the area, examine police reports, or gather internal complaints and maintenance logs to establish that the owner ignored red flags.
  • Can I file a negligent security claim if the attacker wasn’t caught?
    Yes. You can still file a civil claim for negligent security even if the person who harmed you was never identified or arrested. These are two separate legal paths: the criminal system goes after the attacker, while the civil system addresses the property owner’s failure to protect you. Most negligent security cases focus on the conditions that made the attack possible—not the identity of the assailant. If a parking lot had no lights, a hotel had no working locks, or a bar failed to hire security despite known issues, that’s where liability often lies.
  • How long do I have to file a negligent security lawsuit in California?
    In California, the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim—including negligent security—is generally two years from the date of the incident. That means you have a limited window to investigate, gather evidence, and initiate your claim in court. If the case involves a public agency—such as a city-owned facility or public housing—the deadline is even shorter. You typically must file a government claim within six months of the incident. Missing this window may bar your claim entirely.
  • What if the crime happened in a place I had to be—like work or school?
    Negligent security still applies. Just because you were required to be somewhere—like a workplace, campus, or dormitory—doesn’t mean you waived your right to safety. In fact, California law often imposes a greater duty of care on employers, schools, and institutions that invite people into their space or hold power over their environment. If you were injured due to an assault, robbery, or similar act while on the premises, the school, employer, or property manager may still be liable if they failed to provide reasonable protection.
  • Is it worth pursuing a negligent security case emotionally and financially?
    Only you can make that decision—but many survivors say pursuing a claim gave them a voice and a sense of control after something traumatic. It’s not just about money; it’s about accountability, validation, and change. That said, negligent security cases can also lead to meaningful compensation for medical care, therapy, lost income, and emotional suffering. A good attorney will walk with you step by step—handling the legal weight while you focus on recovery. Most cases are handled on a contingency basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win.