When your child was small you did everything to keep them safe. You bought gates, outlet covers and any other popular product on the market. As they got older and spent more time away, you realized that you would never be able to provide that same level of security.
For the majority of parents, their fears about the safety and security of their grown children fade with each day that passes without incident. Unfortunately, that is not the case for all parents.
Deadly apartment shooting
Negligent security and failure to provide reasonable care for the safety of tenants. Parents of a slain Jacksonville resident are suing her former landlord on these grounds after she was shot and killed in front of her Jacksonville apartment.
Who is responsible?
When a person, tenant, invitee or member of the public, is injured or killed on property, responsibility may fall on the property owner. By law, property owners are required to provide reasonable care to the people on their property.
The question of whether or not this property owner provided reasonable care will be decided by a jury.
What is reasonable care?
When a premises liability case appears before a trial, the jury decides if the threshold of reasonable care was provided by the property owner. In general, this comes down to common sense safeguards, such as:
- Installing and maintaining security features
- Fencing
- Lighting
- Video surveillance
- Security personnel
- Locking mechanisms
- Identity verification
- Repairing equipment in a timely fashion
- Maintaining a clean and uncluttered property
- Installing and maintaining proper handrails and railings
- Cleaning up spills
Negligent property owners exist at all income levels and can be difficult to avoid. When you or a loved one notices a safety hazard on a property, you have the right to ask that it be repaired. If a landlord fails to correct that hazard and you suffer a serious injury or a family member is killed, you may be eligible for compensation. Discuss your case with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
