Negligent Security Lawyer in California
Being attacked or robbed on someone else's property is frightening, and what happened was not your fault. It is natural to wonder whether it could have been prevented — and often it could have. When a business or landlord in California ignored known dangers and failed to provide reasonable security, the harm that followed may be its responsibility too, not only the attacker's. We handle these cases with care and confidentiality. Se habla español.
Were you harmed by inadequate security?
Start with a quick, confidential case review — about two minutes, no cost, no obligation.
When weak security becomes negligence
A negligent security case asks whether a property owner should have foreseen the risk of a crime and failed to take reasonable steps to protect the people there. Think broken locks or gates, burned-out parking-lot lights, missing cameras, or the absence of security staff in a known trouble spot. Prior incidents at or near the property, complaints, and the owner's own security policies often reveal what it knew, or should have known. If reasonable measures would likely have prevented the attack, the owner may share responsibility for what happened.
How we handle your California case
You focus on healing; we handle the rest, with respect for what you have been through. We investigate the property's security history, request incident and police records, and work to show the harm was foreseeable and preventable. A civil claim is separate from any criminal case against the attacker — you do not need charges or a conviction to pursue it — and it can hold the responsible business accountable. Everything is handled confidentially, and the initial review is free.
Why work with Woods Law Group
Negligent security cases are defended hard by property owners and their insurers, and they turn on evidence that must be gathered quickly — incident histories, camera footage, and security records that can disappear. Having an attorney who moves fast to preserve that evidence and knows how to show foreseeability makes a real difference. We take these cases on a contingency basis for clients we represent, which means no fee unless we recover, and we advance the costs. You get straight answers, real communication, and a firm that treats your recovery and your dignity as the priority.
Common negligent security cases we handle in California
- Your Rights In A Negligent Security Case
- Apartment Complex Security
- Parking Lot And Garage Attacks
- Bar And Nightclub Violence
- Assault And Battery On A Property
- Inadequate Security Measures
- Foreseeability And Prior Crime
- Compensation And Support
Dealing with the property owner and insurer
Your rights and deadlines in California
California recognizes claims against a property owner for a foreseeable third-party crime, weighing what the owner knew about the risk against the burden of added security. Prior incidents and the owner's own knowledge are central. The deadline to file most injury claims is generally two years, with a shorter deadline where a government entity is involved, and a wrongful death claim may apply where a life was lost. California follows pure comparative fault, and a civil claim is independent of any criminal case against the attacker.
- Filing deadlines (statute of limitations)
- Comparative fault in California
- Claims against a government agency
- Evidence that builds your claim
California injury law: deadlines, fault and caps
California injury law shapes your case in a few specific ways worth knowing early.
- Filing deadline: You generally have two years from the date of the injury to file — and only about six months to put a government entity on notice before you can sue.
- Fault: California follows pure comparative negligence, so you can still recover even if you were partly — or mostly — at fault, with your recovery reduced by your share of the blame.
- Damage caps: An ordinary California injury case has no cap on damages; medical-malpractice claims are the main exception.
- Uninsured drivers: California sets minimum auto-insurance limits and uninsured/underinsured-motorist rules that affect what coverage is available.
Free tools and guides
- Negligent security FAQs
- Settlement & deadline calculators
- Free downloadable guides
- Checklists
- Calculators & estimators
- Side-by-side comparisons
- Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions
The person who attacked me was arrested. Why would I sue the property owner?
Because more than one party can be responsible. The attacker is responsible for the crime, but a property owner who ignored known dangers and failed to provide reasonable security may share responsibility for allowing it to happen. A civil claim against the owner is separate from any criminal case, and often it is the owner's insurance that can actually provide compensation.
Do I need a criminal conviction to have a claim?
No. A civil claim is separate from the criminal system, and you do not need charges or a conviction — even against the attacker — to pursue one. The two use different standards, and a civil claim against a negligent property owner can succeed regardless of what happens in any criminal case.
How much does a negligent security lawyer cost?
We handle these cases on a contingency basis for cases we take, which means no fee unless we recover, and the initial review is always free and confidential. These cases can be expensive to investigate, and we advance the costs. Cost should never stop you from finding out where you stand.
Ready to find out where you stand?
The case review takes about two minutes. It's free and confidential, with no obligation.