A surface parking lot is out in the open. A multi-level garage is something else entirely: concrete walls, low ceilings, enclosed stairwells, and floor after floor where a person can be completely out of sight. Those design features are convenient for drivers. They are also exactly what makes garages attractive to people looking to rob, assault, or shoot someone.
When a garage owner or operator fails to address those risks and someone is hurt, the victim may have a negligent-security claim.
The danger zones inside a garage
Stairwells. Enclosed, echoing, and usually unmonitored, stairwells are among the most dangerous spaces in any parking structure. Inadequate or broken lighting there leaves people walking into darkness. Doors that fail to latch let intruders slip in from the street.
Elevator lobbies and cars. Elevators offer a sense of safety until they break down. When an elevator is out of service, people have no choice but to use the stairs. When it works, a person waiting alone in a small lobby can be cornered. A broken elevator or a stairwell door that traps someone inside can turn a frightening moment into a fatal one.
Ramps and upper decks. Upper levels of a garage often see little traffic, especially at night. Ramps between floors create blind turns. Lighting on these levels and ramps is frequently inadequate, and they are the places least likely to have staff or patrols nearby.
Entry and exit lanes. Without gates, ticket arms, or attendants, a garage has no meaningful control over who comes in on foot or by car. That openness also gives attackers a quick way out.
Pay stations and pedestrian exits. Automated pay machines are often tucked into corners near stairwells, and pedestrian exits may open onto side streets or alleys. People stopping to pay or heading out on foot are distracted and predictable, which makes these spots another place where lighting, cameras, and patrols matter.
What garage owners and operators owe
Whoever controls a parking structure is legally expected to keep it reasonably secure. Because garages are secluded, frequently dim, and simple to get into and out of, reasonable security usually requires more than a sign telling drivers to lock their cars. It can include:
- Bright, working lighting on every level, ramp, and stairwell
- Cameras that cover stairwells, elevator lobbies, and entrances, and that actually record
- Access control such as gates, attendants, or card entry
- Security patrols where there is a known crime problem
- Elevators and stairwell doors that are maintained and work properly
When a garage has dealt with prior robberies, assaults, or shootings and still lacks these measures, the next attack is often foreseeable and preventable.
Who is responsible for the garage
Garages may be run by a standalone parking company or by the business they serve, whether that is a shopping mall, a hotel, a residential complex, or a hospital. Sometimes a management company or a hired security firm handles daily operations or patrols. Liability depends on who owned and operated the garage and who was responsible for its security. More than one party may share the blame.
When staffing drops after hours
Many garages look very different at night than during the day. Attendants go home, booths sit empty, and gate arms are left raised so drivers can exit without paying. Patrols may be cut back or stopped entirely. Yet the people who use the garage after dark, such as hospital night-shift workers, restaurant staff, and late-night patrons, are often the most exposed. A garage that reduces its security just as the risk increases may have a hard time explaining that choice to a jury.
The consequences of a garage attack
Violent crimes in parking structures frequently cause catastrophic gunshot injuries, as well as serious injuries from beatings and stabbings. A claim can ask for treatment costs now and in the years ahead, missed income, and compensation for suffering. Families who lose someone may pursue a wrongful-death recovery.
What the firm has achieved
The Haggard Law Firm obtained a $3.9 million jury award for a family whose teenage son was shot in an apartment lot, and it holds a $102.7 million verdict, the largest negligent-security verdict in U.S. history. The firm has handled nearly 500 negligent-security cases. All amounts are gross, and no result is guaranteed.
Evidence in garages disappears fast
Garage camera systems may automatically record over older footage within days. Maintenance records for elevators and lighting can be critical, as can records of prior incidents. After an attack, owners may quickly fix the broken door or replace the burned-out lights. A lawyer can demand that this evidence be preserved.
If you were hurt in a parking garage, call (305) 446-5700 for a free, confidential review. The firm works on contingency, with no fee unless it wins.
This post is attorney advertising for general informational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Results in earlier cases do not predict the outcome of yours.
