A premises liability lawsuit based on inadequate security

Many of our readers know that when Connecticut residents are injured on another person's property, it may be possible to seek compensation from the property owner in a premises liability lawsuit. These types of lawsuits are common when people are injured in slip-and-fall accidents, or due to the presence of some dangerous condition on the property in question. But what about inadequate security claims?

In general, not all property owners are obligated to provide adequate security on their property. For instance, a residential property owner of a single-family home isn't obligated to have security guards posted at their home or proper security lighting set at all points of the perimeter of their property. However, many commercial property owners will have this type of obligation.

Properties that are open at all times of day, such as hotels, will likely find themselves subject to requirements to have adequate security. For the most part, these security measures will be required so that the hotel guests are reasonably safe from any kind of criminal assault. Proper lighting is important, as is highly visible entrances and exits.

But even if a Connecticut resident is the victim of a criminal attack on a hotel's premises, it may be difficult to prove a premises liability case that is based solely on a claim of inadequate security. The reasoning is quite simple: Criminal attacks can be random, with little-to-no ability to foresee when a criminal might attack. If a hotel has taken every reasonable precaution to help prevent criminal conduct, a claim based on inadequate security can be difficult to prove.