Negligent
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Cases We Handle

Las Vegas Negligent Security Attorneys

Protecting Victims of Crime Caused by Inadequate Security in Nevada

When a property owner or business fails to provide reasonable security measures, the consequences can be devastating. Assaults, robberies, sexual attacks, and other violent crimes that occur on poorly secured premises are not just criminal acts; they may also give rise to civil claims against the parties for their actions, the actions of other customers/guests, the actions of employees/agents, and the failures to maintain a safe environment and property.

At Carter Cullen, our Las Vegas negligent security attorneys hold property owners, businesses, and institutions accountable when their failure to provide adequate security leads to preventable harm. If you or someone you love was injured as a result of a violent crime on someone else’s property, you may have the right to pursue financial compensation through a civil negligence lawsuit in Nevada.

What Is Negligent Security in Nevada?

Negligent security is a form of premises liability. Under Nevada law, property owners and operators owe a duty of care to individuals lawfully on their premises. This includes taking reasonable steps to protect visitors, tenants, guests, and customers from foreseeable criminal activity.

When a property owner knows that criminal activity is a risk on their property, they are expected to implement appropriate security measures. When they fail to do so, and someone is harmed as a result, the property owner may be held civilly liable for negligent security.
A negligent security claim does not require you to prove that the property owner committed the crime. Instead, it focuses on whether the property owner failed to take reasonable precautions that could have prevented or deterred the criminal act.

Learn more about premises liability claims in Nevada.

How Negligent Security Differs from General Premises Liability

While negligent security falls under the broader category of Nevada premises liability law, it is distinct in several important ways. General premises liability typically involves physical hazards on a property, such as wet floors, broken stairs, poor lighting, or structural defects. Negligent security, on the other hand, specifically addresses a property owner’s failure to protect against foreseeable criminal conduct by third parties.

This distinction matters because negligent security cases require proving that the property owner knew or should have known about the risk of criminal activity and failed to act. Evidence of prior incidents, crime statistics for the surrounding area, and the property’s existing security infrastructure all become critical factors in building the case.

Common Locations for Negligent Security Claims in Las Vegas

Las Vegas presents unique negligent security risks due to its high volume of tourism, nightlife, and commercial activity. Negligent security claims in the Las Vegas area commonly arise at the following types of properties:

Hotels and Casinos

Las Vegas hotels and casino resorts welcome millions of visitors annually. These properties have a duty to maintain functioning surveillance systems, employ trained security personnel, control access to guest floors and parking areas, and respond promptly to reported threats. When a hotel or casino fails to implement or maintain these measures and a guest is assaulted, robbed, or otherwise harmed, the property may face significant civil liability.

Casino roulette wheel and security camera

Bars, Nightclubs, and Lounges

Alcohol-fueled environments carry an elevated risk of violence. Bars and nightclubs in Las Vegas are expected to employ adequate security staff, monitor patron behavior, manage overcrowding, and intervene before situations escalate. Negligent security claims against these establishments often involve assaults, sexual assaults, and altercations that staff failed to prevent or control.

Learn more about sexual assault civil claims in Nevada.

Apartment Complexes and Residential Properties

Landlords and property management companies in Nevada have a duty to maintain safe living conditions for tenants. This includes providing secure entry points, functioning locks, adequate exterior lighting, and security measures appropriate to the property’s location and crime history. When a tenant or visitor is attacked due to broken gates, unlit walkways, or a lack of security presence in a high-crime area, the property owner may be held liable.

Parking Garages and Parking Lots

Parking structures and lots, particularly those attached to shopping centers, entertainment venues, and office buildings, are frequent sites of robberies, carjackings, and assaults. Property owners are expected to maintain adequate lighting, surveillance cameras, emergency call stations, and security patrols in these areas.

Retail Stores and Shopping Centers

Large retail environments attract high foot traffic, making them potential targets for criminal activity. Property owners and operators of shopping centers in Las Vegas have a responsibility to implement security protocols that protect shoppers and employees from foreseeable threats.

Busy supermarket aisle with shoppers viewed from security camera

Gas station with security cameras visible

Gas Stations and Convenience Stores

Late-night convenience stores and gas stations are statistically higher-risk locations for robberies and violent crimes. Owners of these businesses are expected to take precautions such as proper lighting, surveillance cameras, limited cash on hand, and security barriers, where appropriate.

Event Venues and Concert Halls

Large-scale entertainment venues in Las Vegas must plan for crowd safety, implement screening procedures, and maintain trained security teams. When event organizers or venue operators fail to implement reasonable security measures and attendees are harmed, negligent security claims may be pursued.

Proving a Negligent Security Claim in Nevada

To prevail in a negligent security lawsuit in Nevada, you generally must establish four elements:

Duty of care: The property owner owed a duty to provide reasonable security to persons on the premises. In Nevada, this duty exists for invitees (customers, hotel guests) and licensees (social guests), though the scope of the duty may vary.

Foreseeability: The criminal or negligent act was foreseeable based on factors such as prior criminal or negligent incidents on or near the property, the type of business or location, and the property’s history of security complaints. Nevada courts evaluate foreseeability based on the totality of the circumstances.

Breach of duty: The property owner failed to implement reasonable security measures. This could include failing to hire, train, and supervise security guards; neglecting to maintain surveillance systems; leaving access points unsecured; ignoring prior complaints; or failing to address known hazards.

Causation and damages: The inadequate security was a direct, proximate, legal, or substantial factor in causing the harm, and the victim suffered actual damages as a result.

Types of Crimes That Give Rise to Negligent Security Claims

Negligent security claims in Nevada can arise from a wide range of criminal acts that occur on inadequately secured properties, including:

Assault and battery
Sexual assault and rape
Armed robbery and mugging
Kidnapping and abduction
Shooting and stabbing incidents
Carjacking
Domestic violence in residential settings
Gang-related violence
False imprisonment

The nature of the crime does not determine whether a negligent security claim exists. What matters is whether the property owner failed to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable criminal activity on their premises.

Yellow crime scene tape, blurred background

Compensation Available in Nevada Negligent Security Cases

Victims of crimes caused by negligent security may be entitled to substantial compensation.
Recoverable damages in Nevada typically include:

Medical expenses: Emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and ongoing medical care related to injuries sustained during the criminal act.

Mental health treatment: Therapy, counseling, and psychiatric care for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and other psychological conditions resulting from the incident.

Lost wages and earning capacity: The property owner failed to implement reasonable security measures. This could include failing to hire, train, and supervise security guards; neglecting to maintain surveillance systems; leaving access points unsecured; ignoring prior complaints; or failing to address known hazards.

Pain and suffering: Physical pain endured as a result of the injuries, as well as the ongoing impact on daily life and wellbeing.

Emotional distress: The psychological toll of experiencing a violent crime, including fear, sleep disturbances, and loss of sense of safety.

Loss of enjoyment of life: Compensation for the inability to participate in activities and experiences that were part of your life before the incident.

Punitive damages: Under NRS 42.005, punitive damages may be awarded in cases where the property owner’s conduct was especially reckless or egregious, for example, knowingly ignoring a pattern of criminal activity on the premises without taking any corrective action.

Nevada Statute of Limitations for Negligent Security Claims

Under NRS 11.190(4)(e), the statute of limitations for most personal injury claims in Nevada, including negligent security, is two years from the date of the injury. If you do not file your claim within this window, you may lose your right to pursue compensation entirely.

There are limited exceptions that may extend this deadline, including cases involving minors or situations where the injury was not immediately discovered. Because these timelines are strict, we encourage anyone who has been the victim of a crime on someone else’s property to consult with a Las Vegas negligent security attorney as soon as possible.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Negligent Security Case?

Liability in a negligent security case can extend to multiple parties depending on the circumstances. Potentially liable parties include:

Property owners and landlords
Property management companies
Hotel and casino operators
Business owners and tenants
Event organizers and promoters
Security companies contracted to provide protection
Homeowners associations (HOAs)

In many cases, more than one party may share liability. Nevada’s comparative negligence laws allow for recovery even when fault is distributed among multiple defendants, as long as the victim’s own fault does not exceed 50%.

Why Choose Carter Cullen for Your Negligent Security Case

Negligent security cases require a firm that understands both personal injury litigation and the complexities of premises liability law in Nevada. Carter Cullen brings:

Las Vegas and Clark County experience:
We practice in the courts where these cases are litigated and understand the local legal landscape, including the specific obligations of hotels, casinos, and commercial property owners in Southern Nevada.

Thorough investigation:
We work with security experts, private investigators, and forensic consultants to build the strongest possible case — examining surveillance footage, incident reports, prior complaints, and the property’s security history.

Aggressive advocacy:
We prepare every case as if it will go to trial. When property owners and their insurers understand the strength of the evidence against them, it often leads to more favorable settlement outcomes.

No upfront cost:
Carter Cullen handles negligent security cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf.

Frequently Asked Questions:
Negligent Security in Nevada

Can I sue a property owner if I was the victim of a crime on their property?

Yes. If the property owner failed to provide reasonable security and the criminal act was foreseeable, you may have a valid negligent security claim under Nevada premise liability law. You do not need a criminal conviction of the attacker to pursue a civil case — the focus is on whether the property owner’s negligence contributed to the harm.

What makes a crime “foreseeable” in a negligent security case?

Nevada courts assess foreseeability based on several factors, including the history of criminal activity on or near the property, the type of business or location, whether the property owner received prior complaints or warnings, and general crime data for the surrounding area. A pattern of prior incidents significantly strengthens foreseeability.

How is negligent security different from a regular personal injury case?

Negligent security is a specific type of premises liability claim. Unlike a typical slip-and-fall or car accident case, negligent security involves a third-party criminal act. The claim is not against the person who committed the crime; it is against the property owner who failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it.

Can I file a negligent security claim against a Las Vegas hotel or casino?

Absolutely. Hotels and casinos in Las Vegas have a heightened duty to protect guests due to the high volume of visitors and the known risks associated with large hospitality properties. If a hotel or casino failed to maintain adequate surveillance, security staffing, access controls, or emergency response protocols, they may face significant civil liability.

What if I was partially at fault for being in a dangerous situation?

Nevada follows a modified comparative negligence rule under NRS 41.141. You can still recover compensation as long as your share of fault is less than 51%. Your total recovery will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found 20% at fault, you would still recover 80% of your total damages.

How much is my negligent security case worth?

The value of a negligent security claim depends on multiple factors, including the severity of your injuries, the extent of your medical treatment, lost income, psychological impact, the strength of the evidence, and whether punitive damages may apply. Cases involving institutional defendants like hotels and commercial property owners often involve substantial insurance coverage, which can impact the potential recovery.

How long do I have to file a negligent security lawsuit in Nevada?

The statute of limitations for negligent security claims in Nevada is generally two years from the date of the injury under NRS 11.190(4)(e). Missing this deadline can permanently bar your claim. Certain exceptions may apply, but you should consult with an attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.

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