What Are Two Possible Consequences of Poor Security?

When you shop at the grocery store or go out with your friends to a concert venue, you expect the property to be safe. You expect to be able to do your shopping or enjoy your event without incident or injury.

But what happens if there’s a loose tile in the grocery store and a shopper trips?

Or, what if a security guard at the concert isn’t properly trained or is distracted, and someone gets hurt?

Poor security on a property can include many things, from inadequate lighting to safety fencing around a pool to security guards at an event. It can cause unnecessary incidents to occur, which can lead to injuries and damages to visitors or patrons on a property. Often these instances can lead to negligent security claims against the property owner or whoever else may be held responsible for damages.

In this blog, we’ll discuss two possible consequences of poor security and also what reasonable security measures are supposed to look like.

Trips and Falls

One of the most common types of premises liability claims is trip and fall incidents.

These are primarily caused by poorly maintained property, such as broken stairs and poor or nonexistent lighting in an area, causing tenants or visitors to trip over things they are unable to see, thus causing injury.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), falls were the second most common preventable injury in the United States in 2022, causing 20% of all recorded preventable deaths during that year.

For premises liability cases, trips and falls could be the result of loose floor tiles in a store, an unmarked step in a restaurant, or a broken step on a staircase. Poor lighting or overgrown bushes might also cause a trip hazard on what should be a clutter-free walkway.

Fall incidents commonly lead to broken or fractured bones, specifically the wrist, arm, ankle, and hip, and also can lead to concussion or other head injuries, neck and spine injuries, and bruising.

The NSC estimates that 46,653 people died from injuries sustained in falls in 2022.

Criminal Activity

Another common problem that leads to negligent security claims is criminal activity, due to a lack of security. This activity is more prevalent in areas with inoperable security cameras, broken gates or locks, nonexistent or broken fences, or a lack of security guards, just to name a few.

Property crime is one of the most common categories of crime in the United States, with 84,115 incidents reported by the Chicago Police Department in 2022. In property crime, a victim’s property is stolen or destroyed without the use or threat of force against the victim. Included in this are burglary, theft, vandalism, and arson.

In the 2022 crime report from CPD, there were 54,677 reported accounts of theft and 21,422 reported accounts of motor vehicle theft.

It’s safe to say that if a property in Chicago is not secured or properly monitored, theft is going to be a problem, and with it a rise in negligent security claims.

Reasonable Security Measures Property Owners Should Take

All property owners in the state of Illinois have an obligation to individuals who enter their premises legally. This means they are required to take the proper steps to ensure their property’s visitors stay safe while visiting and are unharmed at the time they leave.

Some steps that property owners can take to ensure reasonable security measures are in place are:

• Adequate locks: Ensuring that exterior doors and gates have proper, functioning locks or limited access such as key cards and gate codes is an important safety measure as it keeps nonresidents from entering the property without permission and participating in illicit behavior or criminal activity.
• Adequate lighting: Keeping all paths, walkways, parking lots, stairs, etc., well-lit will help prevent slip-and-fall injuries and deter criminals from lying in wait for victims. Poor lighting is often one of the main claims in negligent security cases, as it is common for business and property owners to neglect to maintain lighting, especially in parking lots and other outdoor areas.
• Working video cameras: Video surveillance deters criminal activity and also enables law enforcement to catch any criminals more easily if such activity does occur. Failure to provide video surveillance can be grounds for a negligent security lawsuit. Certain types of properties, such as apartment complexes, shopping centers, and hotels, have an obligation to keep their guests safe by having working video cameras.
• Properly trained on-site security staff: While on-site security isn’t expected in most establishments, security staff is expected and should be provided in places such as bars and nightclubs, high-end shopping areas, and certain kinds of apartment buildings or condos to ensure the safety of patrons, residents, and visitors.

As you can see, maintaining reasonable security measures on a property isn’t that difficult, and having safe and happy patrons will bring in more business.

If you’ve suffered loss of property or an injury due to negligent security, you are owed compensation.

A qualified Chicago negligent security lawyer from Thomas Law Offices is ready to help with your case or answer any questions you may have about a property that you believe may not have adequate security and pose a danger to visitors and patrons.