Unfortunately, Atlanta and other cities around the country have experienced an increase in gun violence and victims of gun violence in the past few years. These shootings have affected various businesses, from schools to nightclubs to apartment complexes.
In this blog post, we will discuss shootings as they pertain to unsafe apartment complexes and the civil remedies that victims of gun violence may seek under Georgia law. The law in Georgia requires apartment complex owners and other businesses to keep their properties reasonably safe from criminal activity, including shootings. On properties where there is known dangerous criminal activity, such as gun violence, the property owner or operator of an apartment complex may be held liable for not protecting tenants or taking necessary steps to ensure tenants' safety.
Apartment Complex Shootings
While apartment complex owners cannot regulate access to guns, they can take action to prevent violent crimes such shootings on their properties. Unfortunately, big corporate investment companies are often the owners of apartment complexes with focus on profits, rather than safety. Shootings, crimes, and generally unsafe living conditions are often a result of out-of-town investors with no interest or ties to our communities owning and operating apartment complexes for the sole purpose of making money. The sad reality is that many safety measures that can be taken are simple and affordable for these apartment complex owners, yet, even when residents complain about dangerous conditions, little is done to make changes.
Safety Measures To Prevent Shootings
In dangerous apartment complexes that have known violent criminal activity, owners and operators may use some or all of the following safety and security measures to prevent gun crimes, including:
- Lighting
- Fencing
- Gated entry
- Using proper locks for doors and windows
- Security patrol by private security and/or local law enforcement
- Warning signs posted for residents and visitors
- Criminal background checks for residents, employees, and others
- Working surveillance cameras
Of course, where no safety measures are implemented, crimes will occur. If apartment complex owners do not take reasonable steps to keep tenants and visitors safe, then one avenue that can encourage change is the civil justice system. That means that victims who have been injured or harmed by dangerous shootings on apartment complexes may be able to bring lawsuits in court to hold irresponsible apartment complex owners for their failure to keep those people safe. Victims may recover compensation for medical bills, pain & suffering, lost wages and even wrongful death. Holding apartment owners financially responsible for such losses could cause them to make the changes necessary to keep tenants and visitors safe from shooting crimes.
Apartment Owners May Be Liable for Shootings
If you or someone you know has been the victim of a shooting in an apartment complex, you may be able to bring a claim against the apartment complex for failing to protect you from being a victim of crime.
In order to hold the apartment complex responsible, you must show that the complex owner or operator knew or should have known that there was a risk of a shooting and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it from happening.
Proving negligent security shooting cases against powerful property owners is difficult and requires the expertise of an attorney who is familiar with Georgia law and how to investigate and build a case. That is where we come in to diligently fight for what is fair and to force apartment complex owners to think twice about allowing people to be victims of crime on their property. If you or a loved one have been the victim of a shooting or other crime in an apartment complex, contact our experienced personal injury attorney at Davis Injury Firm today to discuss your legal options. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering, and more.
Contact the skilled team at Davis Injury Firm right away by calling (404) 647-0722. If you prefer, you can also fill out the online contact form, and someone from our team will reach out to you right away.