Negligent Security Attorney in Lancaster

Holding Property Owners Accountable for Preventable Crimes

When a property owner’s failure to provide adequate security leads to an assault, robbery, or other violent crime, the victim has the right to hold that owner accountable. At Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLC, we’ve represented injured Pennsylvanians since 1922, and our Lancaster office serves clients throughout Lancaster County who’ve been harmed because someone else cut corners on safety. With over 40,000 clients helped and tens of millions of dollars recovered in verdicts and settlements, we bring institutional resources to every negligent security case we handle.

Negligent security claims fall under Pennsylvania premises liability law. If a property owner knew or should have known that criminal activity was foreseeable and failed to take reasonable precautions, that owner can be held liable for the injuries that result. The attacker bears criminal responsibility, but the property owner bears civil responsibility for creating the conditions that let the crime happen.

If you were injured due to inadequate security at a Lancaster property, contact our team for a free consultation. There are no upfront costs, and you pay nothing unless we win. Call (717) 775-7579 today.

An On-Staff Investigator Dedicated to Your Case

Evidence in negligent security cases disappears fast. Surveillance footage gets overwritten, maintenance logs are discarded, and prior incident reports are buried. Our full-time on-staff investigator begins working immediately to document what happened, who is responsible, and what the property owner failed to do. That means pulling prior police reports, photographing broken locks or cameras, interviewing witnesses, and preserving records before they vanish.

This investigative infrastructure is a key part of our approach. In a negligent security claim, the central question is whether the property owner’s security measures were adequate given the circumstances. We partner with security professionals who testify about industry standards: what the owner should have installed, staffed, or maintained, and exactly where the security plan fell short. That combination of in-house investigation and outside analysis builds cases positioned for stronger outcomes.

Our attorneys also travel statewide to meet clients at home or in the hospital. If you’re recovering from a serious injury in Lancaster, you don’t need to come to us.

Where Negligent Security Claims Arise in Lancaster

Negligent security isn’t limited to one type of property. These claims arise wherever an owner’s failure to secure the premises leads to a preventable crime.

Common locations and conditions that give rise to claims include:

• Apartment complexes with broken entry locks, poor hallway or parking lot lighting, or no security patrols despite a history of break-ins
• Shopping centers and parking garages with absent, nonfunctional, or fake surveillance cameras
• Bars and nightclubs with inadequate door staff, no crowd-control protocols, or failure to intervene during escalating confrontations
• Hotels, gas stations, and office buildings where management ignored prior complaints or crime patterns in the surrounding area
• Dimly lit parking areas near downtown dining and retail locations where inadequate lighting creates foreseeable risk

We’ve encountered cases where the property appeared secure on the surface, but cameras were decoys, guards lacked training, or emergency exits were chained shut. Our investigator is equipped to uncover these hidden failures that property owners hope no one examines.

Proving a Negligent Security Claim in Pennsylvania

To recover compensation, your claim must establish four elements. First, the property owner owed you a duty of care. Second, criminal activity at the location was reasonably foreseeable based on prior incidents, crime data, or the nature of the business. Third, the owner failed to implement adequate security measures. Fourth, that failure directly caused your injuries.

Pennsylvania’s modified comparative negligence rule allows you to recover damages as long as you’re less than 51% at fault. A property owner can’t escape liability simply by blaming the attacker. The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Pennsylvania is generally two years from the date of the incident. Missing that deadline forfeits your right to sue, which is why preserving evidence and consulting an attorney early matters. If your case goes to trial, it would be litigated in the Civil Division of the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas.

Compensation in a Lancaster Negligent Security Case

Our goal is to get you everything you need to recover, heal, and move forward. That means pursuing every category of loss the law allows.

Damages available in negligent security claims include:

• Economic damages: medical bills (past and future), lost wages, reduced earning capacity, rehabilitation, and physical therapy costs
• Non-economic damages: pain and suffering, emotional distress, PTSD, anxiety, depression, scarring, and diminished quality of life
• Punitive damages: available in cases involving malicious conduct or reckless indifference to the rights or safety of others

Every claim is different. The value depends on the severity of your injuries, the duration of recovery, and the long-term impact on your life and earning ability. We’ve secured million-dollar results for injured clients and won tens of millions across our practice.

Why Lancaster Clients Trust Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLC

Founded in 1922, our firm has been a Central Pennsylvania institution for over a century. That longevity reflects consistent results and a commitment to the communities we serve. Our attorneys have earned recognition that speaks to the caliber of our work:

• Inclusion in Best Lawyers® and Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” rankings
• Multiple attorneys named to Super Lawyers® and Super Lawyers Rising Stars®
• Multiple attorneys selected for National Trial Lawyers Top 100
• Membership in both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
• 10.0 Superb Avvo ratings held by multiple team members

We work on a contingency fee basis. If we take your case, you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. That structure means our interests are aligned with yours from the first conversation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the Property Owner Be Held Liable if Someone Else Attacked Me?

Yes. Under Lancaster premises liability law, property owners who fail to provide adequate security against foreseeable crime can be held civilly liable for your injuries, even though the attacker committed the criminal act.

What If I’m Partially at Fault?

Pennsylvania’s modified comparative negligence rule allows you to recover compensation as long as you’re less than 51% responsible. Being partially at fault reduces your recovery but doesn’t automatically bar your claim.

How Long Do I Have to File?

Generally two years from the date of the incident under Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations. Acting quickly also preserves surveillance footage, witness accounts, and other evidence that strengthens your case.

What Does It Cost to Hire Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLC?

Nothing upfront. We handle negligent security cases on a contingency fee basis. You owe no attorney fees unless we win compensation for you.

Talk to a Negligent Security Lawyer at Our Lancaster Office

If you’ve been injured because a property owner failed to keep you safe, we’re ready to review your case at no cost. Our Lancaster office serves clients across Lancaster County, and our attorneys can meet you wherever you are if injuries prevent travel.

With a full-time investigator ready to start building your case immediately, we move fast to preserve the evidence that property owners and insurers hope disappears. Every day matters.

Call Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLC at (717) 775-7579 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation. There’s no fee unless we win.