Negligent Security Lawyer in Alpharetta, GA

What a negligent security claim is

The person who commits an assault or robbery is responsible for it. But a property owner who invites the public in also has a duty. That includes apartment complexes, hotels, parking decks, gas stations, bars and shopping centers. They must take reasonable steps to keep people safe from dangers they know about (O.C.G.A. § 51-3-1).

A negligent security claim asks whether the owner knew, or should have known, that crime was a real risk there. Then it asks whether the owner failed to do something reasonable about it.

Foreseeability is the heart of it

These claims do not succeed simply because a crime happened. The central question is whether the owner had reason to see it coming. The usual evidence:

• Prior similar crimes on the property or close by — earlier assaults, robberies or break-ins of the same kind.
• Complaints and warnings — tenants or customers reporting problems, police calls, internal incident reports.
• Known security failures — broken gates, dead lights, disabled cameras, missing locks, cut security staffing.

And then whether the owner’s failure actually made a difference: whether working lights, a locked gate, or a guard would likely have prevented what happened.

Statewide crime figures are published by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. But the evidence that decides these cases is usually the police call history for the specific address.

The 2025 change

In 2025 Georgia passed a broad tort reform law that changed how negligent security claims work. Among other things, these cases now involve stricter requirements about what the owner knew. Juries can also assign a share of fault to the person who committed the crime, which can reduce what the owner pays.

The practical effect: these claims are harder to bring than they were, and the early investigation matters more than ever. A case worth pursuing a few years ago may not be now. An honest early assessment is part of the job.

Evidence to secure early

• Police reports for the incident and for earlier incidents at the same address.
• Security footage — overwritten quickly unless someone asks for it to be kept.
• Maintenance and work-order records for lights, gates and locks.
• Lease and security contracts — whether security was promised, and who provided it.
• Witnesses, including other tenants or staff who knew about prior problems.

Where this comes up

Apartment complexes with broken gates or lighting. Hotels and motels with a history of incidents. Parking lots and decks with no lighting or patrols. Convenience stores and gas stations with repeated robberies. Bars where staff ignored an escalating situation.

Deadline

Generally two years from the incident to file suit (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). If the property is government-owned, shorter notice deadlines apply — see public property deadlines.

If you were working when you were attacked, there may also be a workers’ compensation claim. That covers delivery drivers, security guards and store employees.

Related: premises liability · catastrophic injuries · wrongful death

Common questions

Can I sue a property owner if I was attacked on their property?

Sometimes. The question is whether the owner knew or should have known that crime was a real risk there and failed to take reasonable steps (O.C.G.A. § 51-3-1). A crime happening is not enough on its own.

What does foreseeability mean in a negligent security case?

It means the owner had reason to see the danger coming. Prior similar crimes at or near the property, complaints and known security failures are the usual proof.

How did Georgia's 2025 tort reform change these claims?

It made them harder to bring. The law added stricter requirements about what the owner knew. Juries can now assign part of the fault to the attacker, which can reduce what the owner pays.

What evidence should be secured first?

Security footage, before it is overwritten. Then police reports for the incident and earlier ones at the same address, maintenance records for lights, gates and locks, and any security contracts.

I was attacked at work. Do I have a workers' comp claim too?

You may. If you were working when it happened, there may be a comp claim as well as a claim against the property owner.