When we send our kids off to college, we’re nervous for them. We worry that they will have a hard time adapting, or that they won’t make any friends. We even worry they won’t know how to do their laundry.
The one thing we shouldn’t have to worry about is their safety. We expect colleges to provide a safe learning environment for their students. And, if your child lives on campus, they should be able to live free from attack and security issues.
These days, most college campuses have put security measures into place to keep their students safe. Some of these efforts may include:
- Alarm strips on bathroom walls and stairwells
- Security cameras
- Motion lights across campus
- Security guards in parking lots and large buildings
- Security codes to get into dorms and residential buildings
- Panic buttons throughout campus
Even with these measures in place, people can still get hurt. Women get raped, men get beat up, students get drugged and robbed. Just because students live on campus doesn’t mean they’re shielded from all danger.
There are schools, however, who don’t go the extra mile to protect their student body. They don’t even take the minimum precautions to keep their students safe.
Your Augusta Personal Injury Lawyer Will Pursue the School for Your Injuries
If you or your child are attacked or injured while on campus, you may have a claim against the college. Your Augusta personal injury lawyer will file a premises liability claim against any party responsible for your injuries.
A security issue is part of premises liability. Property owners, including colleges, have a duty to keep their premises safe. This means that they’re well-lit and equipped with the necessary security. If a school fails to do this, and you get hurt, you can pursue a claim for damages.
Some of the most common types of security issues on college campuses include:
- Sexual assault and rape
- Date rape
- Burglary and robbery
- Assault and battery
- Car jacking
It’s no secret that these kinds of things happen on campus. The college and their security department should know to protect against these kinds of things.
Your Augusta Personal Injury Lawyer Knows the Standard for Inadequate Security Claims
When it comes to pursuing a college for inadequate security, it is a premises liability claim. However, the standard is a little different from regular negligence cases. You have to go a step further when it comes to security issues.
In a claim for inadequate security, you have to show the following:
- Property owner failed to use reasonable care to discover prior, similar criminal activities on their campus
- They failed to give warnings to students about dangers on campus
- You were lawfully on the property
- The defendant didn’t offer reasonable security
- You were hurt by actions reasonably foreseeable by school
- You have injuries and suffered damages
It’s not enough to show that your injuries happened on school property. Even if the injuries resulted from criminal activity, you need to show more.
Your attorney will need to prove that the school knew or should have known that these types of crimes took place on campus. He’ll also have to show that the school didn’t do enough to warn you of these dangers. Or, he can prove that the school did nothing to offer reasonable security.
What Kind of Damages Can Your Augusta Personal Injury Lawyer Demand?
Depending on your injuries, you may have a claim against the school for damages. These damages could be nominal or they could be quite large, it really depends on what happened to you.
For cases that involve sexual assault, battery or assault, you may suffer severe injuries. Not only will you have physical injuries but you’re also suffer from mental anguish.
In cases like this, your Augusta personal injury lawyer is going to request compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages or time missed from school
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Property damage is the attach involved any damage to your car or personal property
The school has insurance to cover things like this. In order to avoid negative publicity, they may be eager to settle your case.
Call and Schedule Your Initial Consultation with an Augusta Personal Injury Lawyer
If you’ve been hurt while on campus, you should call an Augusta personal injury lawyer. Your attorney can review your case and see if you have a valid claim. They can also let you know what it may be worth.
Call and schedule your free initial consultation today. Your school will have a team of attorneys working for them. Make sure you have an attorney by your side.
