A violent crime can leave lasting physical, emotional, and financial scars. While the person who committed the crime may face criminal prosecution, they are not always the only party who may be legally responsible. In some situations, a property owner's failure to provide reasonable security contributes to an assault, robbery, shooting, or other criminal act. When that happens, Arkansas law may allow injured victims to pursue compensation through a negligent security claim.
At Minton Law Firm, we represent individuals who have suffered injuries because businesses, landlords, apartment complexes, hotels, and other property owners failed to take reasonable steps to protect lawful visitors from foreseeable criminal activity. Attorney Justin Minton's experience as a former insurance adjuster gives him valuable insight into how insurance companies evaluate premises liability claims and the tactics they use to minimize payouts. Today, he uses that knowledge to fight for injured Arkansans—not insurance companies.
If you were injured because of inadequate security, Minton Law Firm is ready to investigate your claim and help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
Call us at 501-794-0001 for your free consultation or tell us what happened online to get started now.
Negligent security is a specific type of premises liability claim. Unlike a traditional premises liability case involving unsafe physical conditions—such as a wet floor or broken staircase—a negligent security claim involves injuries caused by criminal acts that could have been prevented through reasonable security measures.
Property owners are not expected to prevent every crime. However, they do have a legal duty to exercise reasonable care when criminal activity is foreseeable. Whether security measures were reasonable depends on factors such as the property's location, previous criminal incidents, the nature of the business, and whether additional security precautions would likely have reduced the risk of harm.
These claims commonly involve:
You can also learn more about a property owner's legal responsibilities by visiting our Arkansas Premises Liability Lawyer and Arkansas Slip and Fall Lawyer pages.
Arkansas property owners, landlords, businesses, and property managers owe lawful visitors a duty to maintain reasonably safe premises. In negligent security cases, that duty includes addressing foreseeable security risks when reasonable precautions could reduce the likelihood of criminal activity.
Reasonable security measures may include:
What is considered "reasonable" varies depending on the circumstances. A large apartment complex with a history of assaults requires different security measures than a small retail store with no history of violent crime.
Foreseeability is often the central issue in a negligent security case.
A property owner does not need to know that a specific crime will occur. Instead, the question is whether previous criminal activity or known security concerns should have alerted the owner that additional security measures were necessary.
Examples include:
If a property owner ignores known dangers or fails to respond appropriately to recurring criminal activity, they may be liable when someone is injured as a result.
Negligent security claims arise in many different settings throughout Arkansas.
Apartment Complexes: Landlords may fail to repair broken gates, replace defective locks, maintain adequate lighting, or respond to reports of criminal activity.
Hotels and Motels: Guests expect secure entrances, functioning locks, surveillance systems, and reasonably safe parking areas.
Parking Lots and Garages: Poor lighting, broken security cameras, and the absence of security patrols may contribute to assaults or robberies.
Shopping Centers: Businesses should maintain safe common areas and respond appropriately to known criminal activity affecting customers.
Bars and Entertainment Venues: Alcohol, large crowds, and late-night operations may require additional security personnel or crowd management measures.
Recent FBI Crime Data Explorer reports continue to document thousands of violent crimes reported annually across Arkansas, reinforcing the importance of reasonable security measures where criminal activity may be foreseeable.
Negligent security cases are often won or lost based on the quality of the available evidence. Because surveillance footage and electronic records may only be retained for a short period, acting quickly is critical.
Important evidence may include:
Minton Law Firm can take immediate steps to request preservation of surveillance footage and other important evidence before it is lost.
After an initial consultation, our legal team investigates the incident, gathers evidence, identifies all potentially liable parties, and evaluates whether the property owner failed to provide reasonable security under the circumstances.
We then calculate your damages, negotiate with insurance companies, and work toward a fair settlement. If the insurance company refuses to offer reasonable compensation, Minton Law Firm is prepared to take your case to court.
Justin Minton's background as a former insurance adjuster provides valuable insight into how insurers analyze liability and damages, allowing our team to anticipate common defenses and build stronger claims.
Depending on your injuries, you may recover compensation for both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages may include:
Non-economic damages may include:
If negligent security results in a fatal incident, surviving family members may also have the right to pursue compensation through an Arkansas Wrongful Death Lawyer claim. Victims who suffer life-altering injuries can also learn more about their rights by visiting our Arkansas Catastrophic Injury Lawyer page.
Traditional premises liability cases usually involve unsafe physical conditions. Negligent security claims involve injuries caused by criminal acts that may have been prevented with reasonable security measures.
Yes. If the property owner failed to address foreseeable security risks or ignored known dangers, they may be liable for injuries resulting from criminal activity.
Surveillance footage, police reports, prior crime reports, witness statements, maintenance records, inspection logs, and medical records often play a critical role in proving liability.
Immediately. Surveillance footage, security logs, and witness memories can disappear quickly. Prompt legal action helps preserve evidence and strengthens your claim.
Depending on your case, you may recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, future treatment, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, permanent disability, and other damages resulting from the incident.
If you were injured because a property owner failed to provide reasonable security, you do not have to navigate the legal process alone. Minton Law Firm is committed to holding negligent property owners accountable and pursuing the compensation injured victims deserve.
The insurance company has a team working against you. You deserve one working for you. Contact Minton Law Firm today for a free consultation and let us begin investigating your negligent security claim before critical evidence is lost.
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