Miami Apartment Complex Shooting Victim Rights

Miami Apartment Shooting Victim Injury and Murder Claims

Have you or a loved one be injured due to a shooting at an apartment complex in Miami or elsewhere in Florida? Get in touch with a Miami shooting victim’s rights attorney at the Law Offices of Jason Turchin to get you the financial relief you deserve. Call today at (800) 337-7755.

Miami is a beautiful city situated in South Florida with stunning beaches and breathtaking ocean views. Sadly, Miami is also home to one of the highest crime rates in the United States. According to NeighborhoodScout’s analysis of data obtained from the FBI, your chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime in Miami is 1 in 114.

Gun violence is a big problem for the city of Miami. There were 187 shooting homicides and more than 500 non-fatal contact shootings in 2016 alone.

The Big Picture

When a shooting at an apartment complex occurs, there is typically an investigation by the police to find out who committed the crime. The criminal investigation focuses on the criminal himself and bringing him to justice for breaking the law.

In a civil case, on the other hand, we look at the big picture. In other words, the purpose of our investigation is to find out why the crime happened and whether it could have been prevented.

We want to find out if the apartment owner, property manager, maintenance workers, or security companies contributed to an injury or death caused by a shooting at the complex. When a person or company could have reasonably foreseen a crime taking place on their property, the court might find that person to be liable for failing to protect people on their premises.

Preventing a Shooting at an Apartment Complex

How is a shooting at an apartment complex foreseeable? It’s a known fact that a lot of Florida are gun owners. Some purchase a gun legally, but many do not. Drive by shootings and drug deals gone wrong aren’t all that uncommon in Miami. Also common in an apartment complex is domestic violence. It is reasonably foreseeable that disputes between spouses and family members could erupt in a residence, and sadly, it is also foreseeable that domestic disputes can lead to gun violence.

But how can a shooting have been prevented? Believe it or not, there are a number of safety measures that apartment complex owners and managers are supposed to implement to ensure the safety of their tenants. Some include:

Negligent or Inadequate Security

Apartment complexes should be monitoring safety activity on the property for all crime which is foreseeable. In a high crime area, there is often a higher likelihood of violence, and properties may be required to have reasonable security. some properties try to curb security by installing security cameras. Even when the complex is equipped with cameras, sometimes they are not well maintained or in working order. Staff may also be negligent in properly monitoring surveillance.

Many apartments have security gates, and some may have guards patrolling the premises. However, gates may not always be locked or closed, and guards may not monitor 24/7. We’ve handled cases when properties are monitored part time. We may ask – Do you you provide better security if the property is monitored some of the time or all of the time? The answer is often obvious.

Poor Lighting

Parking lots and hallways should always be reasonably illuminated due to an increase in violent crime at night or in dark areas.

What Happens After a Fatal Shooting?

If your loved one was killed as a result of a shooting at an apartment complex, you may be entitled to compensation on his or her behalf.

Florida’s Wrongful Death statute provides that the personal representative of the victim’s estate can bring a civil action to recover damages not only for the death itself, but for the financial burdens that come with it. Those damages may include funeral expenses, loss of earning capacity, money the decedent was contributing to the family, and pain and suffering.

Many apartment complexes carry at least $1,000,000 in liability insurance, which may be used to help compensate a victim’s family if the complex is proven to be negligent in the event of a fatal shooting on the premises.

Get the Compensation You Deserve

The state attorney prosecutes an assailant with the hope of punishing a wrongful act. Our hope is to not only get answers, but to prevent future crime. We don’t want what happened to you and your family to happen to anyone else. Those who failed to protect you should not only be held accountable, but should be put on notice to ensure another family is safe.

If you were injured, or if a loved one was killed as a result of a shooting at an apartment complex, reach out to The Law Offices of Jason Turchin today. Our team of skilled Miami apartment shooting attorneys want to get you the compensation you deserve. Call us at (800) 337-7755 for your free consultation.