Victims of Crime – Recovering Your Losses
When Criminal Activity Injures a Rental Tenant
Typically, when a property owner, landlord or management company is held responsible for an injury on their property, it’s based on negligence. For example, an injury caused by an unsafe staircase, a slippery floor or other dangerous condition is typically the responsibility of the property owner.
This is based on the idea that the landlord must exercise ordinary care and make reasonable accommodations to keep the property safe. But what if your injury was caused by a third party, someone else in or around the building, who was engaged in criminal activity? The same standard of making reasonable accommodations applies; if the landlord could have reasonably foreseen the danger or made efforts to discourage the criminal behavior that caused your injury, we may be able to hold them financially responsible.
The Duty of a Landlord or Property Management Company
When housing falls into poor repair, the steps to fix it are clear. Leaky ceilings require new roofing just as an unsafe staircase needs to be replaced. However, when the dangers affecting your tenants are not pieces of the physical structure, the steps required are not as clear.
A landlord cannot be held responsible for every crime that happens in or around their unit. However, when a criminal element is creating a preventable and foreseeable danger, management has a duty to fix it and keep the property safe. If their failure to deal with the danger allows that danger to turn into an injury, they can be held responsible. What is “preventable and foreseeable danger” does not have a clearly defined standard, just as exactly what actions would need to be taken are not always clear. This is exactly why you need an experienced lawyer on your side.
Experience Holding Negligent Landlords Accountable I have made successful financial recoveries for others who have been injured due to the negligent lack of security in their apartment or housing complex.
Free Consultation – No Up-Front Fees To Hire
If you or a loved one has been injured by criminal activity in or around your apartment or housing complex and you would like to learn about your options for holding the property owner responsible, contact me today. You do not have to pay money out of pocket to hire me to handle your case. Instead, I am paid a percentage of the money I recovery on your behalf. This means that if you don’t win, you will not have to pay anything. During a free consultation, which we can do in my Atlanta office or over the phone I can explain how Georgia’s liability laws apply to your specific situation and your options for moving forward.