Yuma Negligent Security Attorney

Why Choose Us?

We handle a wide range of serious injury matters, including premises liability, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death claims that often arise from negligent security. This focus allows our team to stay attuned to Arizona law, local courts, and patterns we see in cases from the Yuma area and across the state.

We keep our caseloads intentionally limited so we can provide personalized attention to each client. That means we have more time to listen to your story, answer questions, and keep you informed as your case moves forward. Our goal is to build a relationship based on trust, where you feel comfortable sharing difficult details and confident that your case is not one file among many.

Accessibility is important after a traumatic event. Our bilingual team speaks English and Spanish and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can contact us when it feels right for you, not just during office hours. Because we work on a contingency fee basis, you do not have to choose between paying your regular bills and getting legal help. You can focus on your health while we work to pursue compensation from the parties who may be responsible.

What Negligent Security Means Under Arizona Law

Negligent security is a type of premises liability claim. In general terms, it arises when a property owner, landlord, or business fails to take reasonable safety measures to protect visitors from foreseeable criminal acts. The law does not require every property to be as secure as a police station, but it does expect owners to act when there are clear warning signs that crime is a risk.

Arizona law recognizes that certain locations, such as apartment complexes, hotels, bars, parking lots, and shopping centers, can attract criminal activity. If a property has a history of assaults, robberies, or similar incidents, and the owner does little or nothing to improve lighting, access control, or staffing, the risk of harm may be considered foreseeable. When someone is attacked in that setting, the property owner might share legal responsibility along with the perpetrator.

Examples of negligent security can include broken locks on apartment gates, motel doors that do not close properly, dark stairwells with no working lights, or bars with repeated fights and no trained staff to manage escalating situations. Each case turns on its specific facts, such as what the owner knew or should have known and what steps could reasonably have reduced the risk.

Understanding whether your experience fits within negligent security law can be difficult. During a free consultation, we can review what happened, discuss the history of the property if information is available, and talk about whether a claim may be possible under Arizona premises liability principles.

Typical Locations With Negligent Security Issues

Apartment complexes can be a frequent setting for negligent security concerns. Tenants and guests might face problems when exterior gates are broken, hallway lights are out for long periods, or repeated reports of suspicious activity are ignored by management. Motels and hotels that serve travelers may create risk if room doors do not latch correctly or if parking areas remain poorly lit despite prior incidents or complaints.

Other locations that commonly raise negligent security issues include bars and nightclubs with a history of violence, convenience stores open late at night without adequate staffing, and parking garages serving shopping centers or offices where cameras are missing or nonfunctional. In these environments, a failure to provide reasonable security can contribute to assaults, robberies, sexual violence, or other violent confrontations.

At Rafi Law Group, we handle serious injury and wrongful death cases that can arise from these types of situations. Our work in personal injury allows us to evaluate how the lack of security may have contributed to the harm and to pursue claims against those who had a duty to keep the property reasonably safe.

Steps To Take After an Assault or Attack on Unsafe Property

In the immediate aftermath of a violent incident, it can be hard to think clearly. Your safety and health come first, and legal questions can wait until you are secure. That said, certain steps can help protect your well-being and preserve important information for any future claim.

Protect Your Safety & Get Medical Care

Your first priority should be to move to a safe location if you can do so without putting yourself in more danger. Call 911 as soon as possible so that law enforcement and medical responders can come to the scene. Even if you think your injuries are minor, it is important to be evaluated by a medical professional, either by emergency responders or at a hospital or clinic shortly afterward, because some injuries are not immediately obvious.

Report & Document the Incident

When officers from agencies such as the Yuma Police Department or the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office arrive, try to provide clear, factual information about what happened. A police report can later serve as a key document in both criminal and civil proceedings. If you are able, ask how you can obtain the report number so you can reference it later.

If it is safe to do so, and if your injuries allow, documenting the scene can be helpful. This may include taking photos of the area where the incident occurred, such as lighting conditions, door locks, gates, security cameras, warning signs, or any hazards that stand out. If there were witnesses, gathering their contact information can also be useful down the line.

Be Careful With Insurance & Property Contacts

Property owners, managers, or insurance representatives may contact you soon after the event. Before providing detailed statements or signing any paperwork, consider speaking with a lawyer who handles negligent security matters. Our team can help you understand your rights, speak on your behalf when appropriate, and work to prevent early statements from being used against you later.

Who May Be Liable in a Negligent Security Claim

When someone is assaulted or attacked, the person who committed the crime is directly responsible for the violent act. However, civil law often looks at a broader picture. If a property owner or others failed to take reasonable steps to address known risks, they may share legal responsibility for the harm that occurred on the premises.

Potentially Responsible Parties

Potentially liable parties can include landlords, commercial property owners, hotel operators, bar or nightclub owners, and retail businesses that invite customers onto their property. In some cases, third-party security companies or property managers who were hired to oversee safety may also be involved. The specific parties depend on factors such as who controlled the property, who made safety decisions, and what contracts were in place.

How Liability Is Evaluated

Liability often turns on foreseeability and reasonableness. For example, if a shopping center parking lot has a record of prior robberies, and management does not improve lighting or explore additional security measures, later attacks may be considered more predictable. Likewise, if an apartment complex receives repeated complaints about trespassers or threats and does not repair gates or add patrols, a court may view later assaults through that lens.

Our legal team works to identify all parties who may bear responsibility for your injuries. This can involve reviewing incident reports, examining lease and maintenance records, and looking at available information about crime patterns in the surrounding area. We use that information to pursue claims for damages such as medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and the long-term emotional impact of what you experienced.

You do not have to determine who is liable on your own. During a consultation, we can talk through what you know about the property, any history you are aware of, and what additional information might be needed to fully evaluate potential claims.