Property owners in New York carry a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe. And that duty goes further than most people realize. It’s not just about fixing broken stairs or salting an icy sidewalk. Security is part of it too. When a landlord, business owner, or building manager ignores a known security risk, and someone gets hurt because of it, that failure can absolutely form the basis of a premises liability claim.
You’ll sometimes hear this referred to as negligent security. It applies in apartment buildings, parking garages, hotels, retail stores, office buildings, and plenty of other settings where people have a right to feel reasonably protected.
What Counts as Poor Building Security
Not every crime that happens on a property automatically creates legal liability. The real question is whether the owner knew a security risk existed, or reasonably should have known, and still didn’t act. That’s where things get meaningful. Common examples of inadequate security include:
- Broken or missing door locks in building lobbies
- Non-functioning security cameras in high-traffic areas
- Poor lighting in stairwells, hallways, or parking lots
- Failure to hire or properly supervise security personnel
- Lack of controlled access in buildings with a documented history of criminal activity
Courts pay close attention to foreseeability. If there’s a documented history of criminal activity on or near the property, that history matters. A lot.
Proving Negligence in a Negligent Security Case
To build a strong claim, four things generally need to be established. The property owner owed a duty of care. They breached that duty by failing to provide adequate security. That breach directly caused the injury. And the victim suffered real, compensable damages.
Evidence is everything here. Incident reports, police records, maintenance logs, witness statements, surveillance footage. All of it can help paint a picture of what the owner knew and when they knew it. Don’t underestimate how much documentation can shift a case.
New York City crime data, available through the NYPD crime statistics database, can help establish a pattern of incidents near a specific location. That kind of pattern carries real weight. A Brooklyn premises liability lawyer can look at the specific facts of your situation and tell you honestly whether a viable path to compensation exists.
What Damages Victims May Be Entitled To
Negligent security cases often involve serious harm. Assault, robbery, sexual assault, shootings. These aren’t minor incidents, and the injuries that follow can change someone’s life permanently. Victims in these cases may be able to pursue compensation for:
- Medical expenses and future treatment costs
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity
- Emotional distress and psychological trauma
- Pain and suffering
The extent of a recovery depends on the nature and severity of the injury. But when liability is well established, these cases can result in substantial compensation.
Taking the Right Steps After an Incident
Timing matters more than people expect. Evidence disappears. Witnesses become harder to locate. New York’s statute of limitations won’t wait for you to feel ready. Reporting the incident formally, seeking medical attention right away, and preserving any evidence you can access are all steps that protect your claim from the start.
The Edelsteins, Faegenburg, & Blyakher LLP has been representing injury victims across New York for over 85 years, including people whose injuries resulted from entirely preventable security failures on someone else’s property. If you were hurt because a property owner didn’t take security seriously, speaking with a Brooklyn premises liability lawyer is the right first step toward understanding what your rights actually are and what your claim may be worth.