Hurt in an Attack on Someone Else's Property? You May Have More Rights Than You Think.

Attacked on Someone Else’s Property? Spine & Neck Injury Claims Against Property Owners

Were You or a Loved One Attacked and Seriously Hurt on Someone Else’s Property?

You were shot in a dark apartment parking lot. Robbed at gunpoint by an ATM. Beaten near a gas station where the cameras hadn’t worked in months. Sexually assaulted in a hotel hallway with a broken lock. Now you — or someone you love — is facing paralysis, nerve damage, or a spine or neck injury that will never fully heal.

Here is what most people in this situation don’t know: you may be able to hold the property owner responsible — not just the person who attacked you. When a property owner fails to provide reasonable security, and that failure lets a violent crime happen, the law may let you file a claim against them.

Lawyers have a name for this kind of case — negligent security, a form of premises liability — but you don’t need to know legal terms to know something went wrong. If the locks were broken, the lot was pitch black, the cameras were dead, or the guards who were supposed to be there weren’t, that failure may have made your injury possible.

This claim is separate from any criminal case against the attacker. CHG Personal Injury Lawyers helps injured people and families across Florida and nationwide, in English and Spanish.

Request a free, confidential case evaluation.

Who This Page Is For

This page is for people who suffered a catastrophic, permanent spine or neck injury during a violent attack on property they didn’t control — and for families acting for a loved one who was seriously injured or killed.

We focus only on life-altering injuries: paralysis, spinal cord damage, and severe cervical or lumbar trauma. We do not handle minor strains or bruises. If you’re facing lasting impairment after an attack, you’re in the right place.

One point that surprises many families: the attacker does not have to be caught, identified, or convicted for you to pursue a claim against the property owner. These are two completely separate matters.

The Spine & Neck Injuries We Handle in Assault Cases

These are the most serious, permanent injuries — the kind that redefine a person’s life.

• Spinal cord injuries causing paralysis — paraplegia (loss of use of the legs and lower body) and quadriplegia/tetraplegia (loss of use of all four limbs).
• Severe cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) injuries causing permanent impairment.
• Trauma from gunshot wounds, stabbings, blunt-force blows, or being slammed, thrown, or struck.
• Traumatic brain injury or wrongful death occurring in the same attack.

A spinal cord injury can cause loss of movement, loss of sensation, and loss of bowel or bladder control, according to the Mayo Clinic. Doctors distinguish a “complete” injury (near-total loss of function below the injury level) from an “incomplete” one (some function remains), and classify the severity using the ASIA Impairment Scale (ISNCSCI).

The lifetime stakes are real. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) reports that first-year and recurring medical and living costs for spinal cord injuries can reach into the millions of dollars over a lifetime, depending on the injury level and the person’s age at injury. The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation offers paralysis resources that help families understand the road ahead. Understanding those numbers is why we never rush to settle before your future needs are documented.

How a Property Owner Can Be Legally Responsible

An owner can be held responsible when they fail to take reasonable steps to protect people from violence they should have seen coming. That last part — foreseeability — is the heart of the case.

Signs that reasonable security was missing or broken:

• Broken locks, gates, or perimeter fences
• Burned-out, missing, or inadequate lighting
• Security cameras that were absent, broken, or unmonitored
• No security guards where the risk clearly called for them
• Propped-open or unsecured entrances
• A documented history of prior crimes, complaints, or 911 calls that the owner ignored

That last point matters most. Prior violent crimes on or near the property, past tenant or guest complaints, or a pattern of police calls can put an owner “on notice.” When they ignore those warnings and someone is attacked, they may share legal fault.

Keep the two tracks separate:

• The criminal case — brought by the state — punishes the attacker.
• The civil claim — brought by you — seeks compensation from the property owner for failing to keep the premises reasonably safe.

Common at-fault parties include apartment and condominium owners, property-management companies, hotels and motels, bars and nightclubs, retail stores, gas stations, and parking-garage operators.

What a Claim Can Seek to Recover

Every case is different, and no one can honestly promise a specific result. But a claim may seek compensation for losses like these:

• Medical costs — emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, and assistive devices such as wheelchairs
• Future medical care and long-term nursing or attendant care for paralysis
• Lost income and reduced or lost future earning capacity
• Home and vehicle modifications required after paralysis
• Pain, suffering, and diminished quality of life
• Wrongful-death damages for the family when an attack is fatal

Evidence That Can Make or Break Your Case — And Why Time Is Critical

Strong evidence turns your account into a provable claim — and much of it disappears within days.

• Surveillance footage is often recorded over on a 30-, 14-, or even 7-day loop. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.
• Broken conditions get repaired — a landlord fixes the gate or replaces the lighting after the attack, quietly erasing the proof it was broken.
• Witnesses move and memories fade.

This is why acting quickly matters so much. Early on, a lawyer can send a spoliation (evidence-preservation) letter demanding the owner keep footage and records intact, and can request them before they vanish.

Evidence that helps:

• Security or surveillance footage
• 911 recordings, dispatch logs, and police reports
• Records of prior crimes and calls for service at the address
• Photos of broken locks, gates, lighting, or missing cameras
• Witness statements and property-management records
• Medical records documenting your spine or neck injury and long-term prognosis

How the Process Works, Step by Step

1. Free, confidential case evaluation. You tell us what happened. No obligation.
2. Investigation & evidence preservation. We move to lock down footage, obtain crime history and 911 records, and identify every responsible owner, manager, or security contractor.
3. Expert review. We work with medical experts to document your injuries and prognosis, and security experts to establish what reasonable protection should have looked like.
4. Claim and negotiation. We build and file the claim and negotiate. If a fair resolution isn’t reached, we’re prepared to litigate.

Catastrophic cases take time — your future medical needs must be fully understood before any resolution makes sense. We handle these cases on a contingency-fee basis: you pay no attorney fees unless there is a recovery.

Deadlines are strict. In Florida, most negligence lawsuits for claims arising on or after March 24, 2023 must be filed within two years under Fla. Stat. §95.11. Waiting can cost you the right to file at all.

Why Choose CHG Personal Injury Lawyers

We concentrate on catastrophic, life-altering injuries — spinal cord injuries, paralysis, and severe back and neck cases. That focus matters when your future is on the line.

• Licensed attorneys admitted to The Florida Bar
• Serving Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, and taking cases nationwide
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) support and educational resources
• An empathetic, client-centered approach for injured people and grieving families

No honest lawyer can promise a specific outcome. What we offer is focused experience with serious injuries and a genuine commitment to your case. Request your free case evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Talk to a Lawyer About an Attack Injury on Someone Else’s Property

A catastrophic spine or neck injury changes everything, and you deserve straight answers. Because footage can be overwritten and deadlines apply, early action protects your rights. Florida’s comparative-fault rules under Fla. Stat. §768.81 and its filing deadlines make prompt contact important.

CHG Personal Injury Lawyers offers a free, confidential case evaluation in English and Spanish. Contact us today.