Negligent Security

Beaumont Attorneys for Victims of Crime in Apartment Complexes

Helping Texas Tenants Hold Negligent Landlords Accountable

If you are a tenant in Texas, your landlord must fulfill a wide variety of obligations. In accordance with the terms of your tenant/landlord agreement, they will provide smoke detectors, repair conditions that threaten your health or safety, maintain your access to certain utilities, and more. One of the most complex responsibilities a landlord has is protecting tenants from crime.

Our population is growing rapidly, and landlords are often tempted to fill apartment complexes quickly and without the use of background checks. With the coinciding increase in crime, many are wondering about their rights as tenants. If you have become a victim of crime in your Beaumont apartment complex, The Daspit Law Firm is here to help you determine if you are eligible for compensation.

Are you considering filing a claim against your apartment complex or landlord in Beaumont? Call our negligent security attorneys at (888) 395-8563 for knowledgeable legal counsel.

When Are Landlords Liable for Crime?

Generally, Texas landlords and apartment complex owners are not responsible for protecting their tenants from criminal activity or intentional torts, even if the crime occurs on their property. Negligent or inadequate security, however, may serve as the basis for your claim.

Here are 4 examples of negligent security where you may be able to hold your landlord liable for your injury or loss:

1. The apartment complex experiences multiple burglaries in a short period of time. Your landlord does nothing about this issue, and someone breaks into your apartment next. The prior crime rule may allow you to file a claim against your landlord/apartment complex.

1. Late at night, someone notices a stranger in the apartment complex wearing a mask and looking through car windows. The bystander reports this suspicious activity, but the landlord fails to act. You wake up in the morning to discover your car has been stolen. The foreseeability doctrine obligates landlords to keep tenants safe from foreseeable harm, so your claim would essentially argue that your landlord is liable because the crime was expected.

1. The apartment complex’s security gate has been broken for weeks, despite multiple tenants reporting the issue to the owner of the complex. A car full of teenagers from another area passes through the broken gate, and they vandalize several apartments and vehicles. While landlords or apartment complex owners are not obligated by state law to provide the property with security, fixing the gate could have prevented the crime, and the landlord may be liable for inadequate security.

1. One of the apartment complex’s employees assaults a tenant on the property. If the landlord did not conduct a proper background check and, therefore, hired someone with a history of violent crime, you can accuse the landlord of negligent hiring.

Contact Our Firm for Personalized Counsel and Representation

While every case is unique, your landlord is generally responsible for guaranteeing a place of residence free from foreseeable and/or preventable harm. If they failed to fulfill this duty, you deserve compensation, and we are more than prepared to represent you in a court of law. Because these cases are time-sensitive, our dedicated team of attorneys is available 24/7, every day of the week.

Enlist the support of lawyers who secure million-dollar settlements for their clients. Schedule your consultation or call us for immediate support at (888) 395-8563 today.

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