Premises Liability

How Can A Premises Liability Attorney Help If Someone Breaks Into Your Gated Community?

There are many reasons individuals and families choose to live in gated communities, chiefly amongst them safety. With gated entrances and guards onsite, this can give residents a sense of security within the community, particularly after certain hours. However, the truth is that crime can occur in a gated community just like with any other community, and invaders may get the chance to break in.

When that happens and your safety is threatened, you may be wondering what you should do and who should be held responsible. A premise liability lawyer can assist you with the legal process from start to finish. If your gated community failed to deliver on the security measures they promised, they could be held responsible. This includes ensuring any equipment such as security cameras and locks are working, as well as providing the guards who are supposed to be on duty.

There are several ways in which a gated community can be held responsible for damages done tor residents.

Failure to Provide Proper Maintenance

Negligence can occur when a gated community fails to provide proper maintenance for equipment and fixtures. For instance, if a gate is broken, measures should be taken to repair it in a timely manner. If this was not done and someone breaks in as a result, you can have a case of negligence.

Many gated communities also have restricted access – in some, there are guards on standby to verify the identity of visitors whereas key card access is used in others. Failure to get the access system running can also be deemed as negligence.

Improper or Insufficient Hiring

In most gated communities, a security presence is available round the clock or for specific pockets of time throughout the day and night. It is the community’s responsibility to ensure that all guards are qualified for their position and to hire enough staff to maintain an adequate level of security. If there are faults in the hiring process that lead to someone breaking in, such as hiring guards who are not properly qualified, the community can be held responsible for any break-ins.

Local Criminal Activity

If there has been crime in the local area, it is the job of your gated community to keep residents informed and make changes to the level of security provided as agreed upon. The specificities on this usually depend on the contract you signed with your community. However, they can be held responsible if someone breaks in due to a failure to warn residents about criminal activity in the area.

Come to Pazer Epstein Jaffe Fein & Gozenput, P.C., PC Can Help for Break-in Cases

Have you or your property sustained damage due to a break-in of your gated community? Our team of premise liability lawyers at Pazer Epstein Jaffe Fein & Gozenput, P.C., P.C. is ready to listen to the facts and represent your case. Contact us today for a free consultation and browse through our testimonials for more information. Since our inception, we have been representing clients across New York City to great success.

Looking for a trusted personal injury lawyer in New York? Call our New York number: (212) 847-5007 or Long Island number: (718) 954-9986 to schedule a free consultation with us today.