In personal injury law, premises liability cases deal with incidents caused by an unsafe or defective condition on someone’s property.

Premises liability cases depend on two factors — the negligence of the owner and/or renter of the space where the injury occurred, and a lack of fault in the plaintiff. Proprietors, landlords and homeowners have a duty to keep their property free from serious hazards. If they fail to do so and someone gets hurt while exercising reasonable diligence, the site operator may be held responsible.

Negligent security applies to both commercial and residential properties. While it falls under liability law, it generally holds a property owner liable for negligence in cases of injury or damages that occur due to lack of sufficient security or safety measures. These security oversights can result in injury.

Locations most often liable include but are not limited to:

• Theaters
• Airports
• Amusement Parks
• Apartment buildings
• Concert venues
• Grocery stores
• Hospitals/Nursing Homes
• Office buildings
• Parking garages
• Schools/Universities 
• Shopping malls/centers
• Sporting stadiums

A civil claim against a business that sells/serves alcohol (e.g., bar, restaurant, liquor store) for harm caused by an intoxicated or underage patron whom they unlawfully served. Most jurisdictions focus on injuries to third parties; some allow claims by the intoxicated person, too.

These cases often involve corporate defendants, multiple insurers, complex evidentiary issues (like surveillance retention and POS data), and specialized standards for security and alcohol service. Experience and early evidence preservation are critical.

Depending on the facts: the property owner, property manager, commercial tenant, third‑party security company, maintenance contractors, franchisor/franchisee, and alcohol‑serving establishments that overserved an intoxicated patron or served a minor.

Insurers and corporations often deny or shift blame. We perform a thorough investigation, retain the right experts, and pursue every responsible party to maximize accountability and recovery.

No. A criminal DUI is separate. Civil liability usually requires proof the vendor served a minor or someone visibly intoxicated at the time of service, plus causation.

Varies by state. Pennsylvania: No civil liability for serving adults (Klein v. Raysinger), but hosts can be liable for furnishing alcohol to minors (Congini v. Portersville Valve Co.). For broader state patterns on social-host laws, see NCSL’s 50-state resource.

A property owner is held to two expectations within their “duty of care” — first, they must undertake reasonable measures to ensure their property is safe, and second, they should foresee any harm that may occur from the conditions on their property.

Premises liability cases are often caused by:

• A hidden defect on a walking surface, like a broken stair
• Snow, ice or water left on walkways
• Defective electrical wiring
• Poor construction using cheap materials
• Building code violations
• Slippery floors
• Lack of maintenance
• Lack of signage
• Messy and poorly-lit areas
• Uneven, broken sidewalks
• Design flaws on the property

The value of a premises liability claim depends on the extent of the injuries suffered, provided that the plaintiff has done everything in their power to mitigate their injuries. The losses aimed for in a settlement will cover both accident-related expenses and non-economic losses, including:

• Current and future medical bills
• Current and future lost wages from missed work
• Physical therapy
• Pain and suffering
• Wrongful death (in the event of losing a loved one)

Property owners are responsible for taking necessary actions to ensure that visitors and tenants have minimal risk while on the premises. If inadequate action is taken and injuries occur as a result, the property owners can be at fault.

Understanding if you are a victim of negligent security where property owners may be held liable can be beneficial to you and your law team. Here are some of the most common:

Faulty Access Control: If the property has broken or malfunctioning locks, gates, fencing or security access systems. Property owners can be held liable if unauthorized individuals are able to gain access, resulting in harm to authorized patrons. These cases most often involved apartment complexes, gated communities, and office buildings.

Missing or Inadequate Security Systems: Property owners are responsible for proper and regular maintenance of security systems. If they are not adequately monitored, maintained, or are missing from an area deemed high-risk and an incident occurred, property owners can be held liable if the system fails to provide evidence.

Inadequate Lighting: Broken, missing or insufficient lighting can create an environment where assaults and robberies are more likely to occur. Property owners should ensure that all walkways and key access points are well-lit and regularly maintained.

Lack or Inadequate Security Personnel: Property owners are responsible for ensuring that they have adequately staffed and trained security personnel. Patrons expect that security staff on properties are trained to manage a variety of potential situations, not just act as a deterrent. Additionally, there should be adequate security staffing to safely manage the entire property.

Negligent Hiring: In some cases, property owners may be negligent by not performing adequate background checks that lead to harmful behaviors by staff that they have hired.