Safety Obligations of Security Guards in Stores and Malls

By Grant Law Office on June 6, 2022

A security officer’s job is to promote safety and prevent criminal activity in stores and shopping malls. Their occupation provides a sense of order. Crime has unfortunately been on the rise in Atlanta and the need for adequate security is ever-present.

Property owners owe a duty to visitors to ensure a safe environment for all shoppers and employees. When a landowner allows for lackadaisical security practices in their establishment people can get seriously hurt. If you have been injured or assaulted at a shopping mall call Grant Law Office who could help you file a negligent security claim.

Negligent Security Injuries

Georgia laws dictate that owners take proper precautions to protect any person that visits their property. When they fail to take reasonable care patrons and guests may be harmed. Some of the most common negligent security injuries include:

• Concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Soft tissue injuries
• Bruises and lacerations
• Broken bones
• Amputation and physical impairment
• Anxiety and depression
• Psychological distress
• Insomnia
• Death

These kinds of trauma require extensive medical care and follow ups. Therapy or counseling for emotional distress can be necessary for quite some time for the victim to cope. Medical bills pile up especially if recovery requires time off work. A Georgia negligent security lawyer may be able to help you obtain damages to cover the expenses of both physical and emotional injuries.

Responsibilities of Security

The responsibility of hired security is to protect visitors from potential hazards and third-party attacks. A third-party attack can include an assault or battery in a shopping center to a carjacking in the parking deck. Reasonable security measures include maintaining and repairing any damaged locks, making sure poorly lit areas have adequate lighting to deter criminals, employing the use of a functioning security system, hiring trained and capable security guards that can pass a criminal background check.

Property owners are required by Georgia law to keep their guests safe. They must take the proper precautions to minimize risks to anyone who visits, or they will be liable for what happens to them. The duties of security guards are often:

• Patrolling the property to deter criminals.
• Monitoring surveillance equipment and reporting suspicious activity.
• Checking locks and access points for forced entry.
• Taking action in an emergency.

Failure to uphold these duties can result in assault, battery, and burglary. If you or your loved one have been a victim of one of these crimes while shopping at a mall or shopping center a negligent security claim can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Elements of Negligent Security

To prove that a business or property owner be found negligent they must have been aware of the local crime rates and the susceptibility of these acts occurring at their facility. If they failed to keep patrons safe, a negligence suit will consider if a similar crime was previously committed on the premises and not prevented from happening again or if a volatile situation such as a fight was escalating, and the landowner did or did not take the necessary steps to resolve it by calling law enforcement to the scene. This makes the owner liable for harm that is inflicted on their property.

Reach Out to The Grant Law Firm Today

If you have been injured due to negligent security, reach out to a highly qualified Atlanta personal injury lawyer today. The Grant Law Firm will work for you so that you can recover with peace of mind. We have the resources and expertise to investigate your case and pursue your claim to obtain the settlement you are owed. Give us a call at (404) 995-3955 to speak with an adept negligence attorney today.