If you suffered injuries because a stadium or arena failed to provide adequate security, the property owner can be responsible for your losses. Georgia law requires landowners to take reasonable measures to prevent foreseeable crimes and to keep people safe on their premises.
What We Have to Prove in a Negligent Security Case
We will have to prove all four of these factors to hold the stadium or arena responsible for your injuries from negligent security:
1. The arena or stadium owed you a legal duty. If you were at the stadium or arena as a paying customer or authorized guest, the property owner had a legal responsibility to take reasonable measures to keep the venue and its approaches safe. The landowner also owes this duty to anyone else who is on the property for a legal purpose, such as an employee, vendor, or someone whose job requires them to perform a function on the grounds, like reading the water meter.
The premises include the stadium or arena. The approaches can include things like the sidewalks, parking lot, or a parking garage that a visitor to the property would be likely to use when accessing the facility.
Let’s say that there had been several muggings and assaults in the parking lot of the arena. The landowner must provide reasonable security to keep visitors safe in the parking lot.
2. The stadium violated its legal duty. If the stadium did not provide adequate security for the situation, it breached its obligation to you. It is negligence when one fails to meet the requirements of a legal duty of care.
The stadium could have taken reasonable measures like these to prevent future muggings and assaults:
- Assigning security guards to patrol the parking lot.
- Installing security cameras in the parking lot.
- Posting warning signs in the area to put customers on notice.
- Requesting extra patrols from the local police.
If the stadium did not take reasonable measures to address the crime, the stadium was negligent.
3. The negligent security caused your injury. Negligence by itself does not subject the arena to liability, but when the negligence causes someone to get hurt, the owner is responsible to that person. If someone assaulted or mugged you in the parking lot of the arena because of the arena’s negligent security, the arena will have to pay for the harm their carelessness caused.
4. Adequate security would have prevented the crime. Georgia law does not require landowners to prevent every crime. Even the police cannot prevent all crimes. The law does, however, make owners take reasonable steps to avoid foreseeable crimes.
Because there had already been several muggings and assaults in the stadium’s parking lot, it was foreseeable that there would be future criminal acts there. The stadium should have used adequate security measures to prevent the crime you experienced. If the stadium failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the foreseeable crime, the owner is responsible for your injuries on the grounds of negligent security.
Damages for Injuries from an Arena’s Negligent Security
Every case is different, so the amount of your damages will depend on your unique set of facts. The damages in these cases can usually include things like:
Medical expenses, for all the reasonable medical care you needed as a result of your injuries. These costs can include the costs of an ambulance, emergency room, hospital, doctors, lab work, x-rays, surgery, prescription drugs, and physical therapy.
Future medical care, if your injuries will cause you to need ongoing medical intervention.
Long-term care, if you suffered devastating injuries that render you dependent on assistance with daily medical treatments and personal care.
Lost income, to compensate you for the wages, salary, self-employment, and other income you missed because of the crime.
Decreased earning potential, if you cannot make as much money as before because of your injuries.
Disability, if you cannot support yourself through employment because of your injuries.
Pain and suffering, to compensate you for the physical discomfort, psychological distress, and inconvenience you experienced because of the crime.
Psychological harm, if you sustained ongoing emotional harm from the crime, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anger, depression, or fear of leaving your home.
Other non-economic losses, if the crime and injuries cause you to suffer things like disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium.
Getting Help for a Claim of Negligent Security Against a Stadium or Arena
If an arena or stadium failed in its legal duty to protect you from foreseeable harm and this negligent security caused you to get hurt, you can sue the stadium or arena and might be able to get compensation for your injuries. Call S. Burke Law today at 404-842-7838, and we can set up a free consultation for you. We can talk with you about your situation, answer your questions, and let you know if you might have a negligent security injury claim.