Paralyzed After an Attack on Someone Else's Property?

Paralyzed After an Attack on Someone Else’s Property? Your Right to Hold the Owner Accountable

Were you paralyzed in an attack on someone else’s property? You may be able to hold the property owner accountable — not just the attacker. Sometimes a business or landlord fails to provide reasonable security. When a violent crime happens as a result, the owner can share the blame.

Maybe you or your loved one was shot, stabbed, beaten, or otherwise attacked. Now you live with paralysis. This can mean paraplegia (loss of movement in the legs and lower body). Or it can mean quadriplegia, also called tetraplegia (loss of movement in the arms, trunk, and legs).

The person who attacked you is responsible. But the property where it happened may be responsible too. That includes an apartment complex, parking garage, hotel, or store that was left dangerous.

This kind of case has a legal name: negligent security. It is a type of premises liability (an owner’s responsibility for harm on their property). This page is for people facing serious, permanent spinal cord injuries — not minor harm.

Contact CHG Personal Injury Lawyers for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

Who This Is For and Where These Attacks Happen

This page is for the injured person. It is also for a family member speaking for someone who can’t speak for themselves. If a violent attack left you or your loved one permanently paralyzed, you deserve clear answers.

These attacks often happen in places that should have been safer:

• Apartment complexes and condo communities
• Parking lots and parking garages
• Hotels and motels
• Bars and nightclubs
• Gas stations and convenience stores
• Stores, shopping centers, and ATMs

Shootings, stabbings, and severe beatings can damage the spinal cord. This can cause permanent paralysis. A spinal cord injury often causes lasting changes in strength, feeling, and body function below the injury, according to Mayo Clinic.

Doctors measure how much function is lost using the ASIA Impairment Scale (ISNCSCI). This is the international standard doctors use to grade an injury as “complete” or “incomplete.” That grade — and the level on the spine where the damage happened — often shapes the lifetime care a person will need. That is why it matters to a legal claim too.

CHG is a Florida-based firm serving Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville. We take qualifying catastrophic cases nationwide. We also offer bilingual help in English and Spanish.

Can You Sue a Property Owner for Paralyzing Injuries From an Attack?

Yes. You may be able to sue a property owner if poor security helped cause your paralyzing injury. Under Florida law, owners and managers have a legal duty. They must take reasonable steps to keep lawful visitors safe from foreseeable crime.

“Foreseeable” is a key word, and it’s simpler than it sounds. It means the owner had reason to expect crime could happen. Signs of foreseeability include:

• Past violent crimes on the property or nearby
• A location in a known high-crime area
• Earlier complaints, incidents, or police calls at the property

Florida also has a specific law, Fla. Stat. §768.0706. It lists concrete security steps for apartment and multi-unit properties. These include set lighting standards for parking lots and walkways, working locks on unit and pool-fence gates, and a peephole on each unit door.

The law matters two ways. An owner who ignores basic steps like these looks less reasonable. But an owner who fully follows the law may raise it as a defense. Either way, it gives a clear, real-world checklist for what “reasonable security” can look like.

Common security failures we see include:

• No working locks or broken security gates
• Broken, dim, or missing lighting
• No cameras — or cameras that don’t work
• Missing or poorly trained security guards
• Ignored tenant or customer complaints

The legal question is simple. Would reasonable security likely have prevented or reduced the harm? We can’t promise any outcome. But we can look into whether the owner fell short.

What a Negligent Security Paralysis Claim Can Cover

This kind of claim can seek money for current and future losses tied to a life-altering injury. The costs are staggering. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) tracks average first-year and yearly costs that reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Lifetime costs vary sharply by the person’s age and injury level. The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation also offers free guides on paralysis, care, and daily living that families often find useful.

A claim may cover:

• Medical costs: emergency care, surgeries, hospital stays, and rehab
• Future medical care: ongoing treatment and monitoring
• Long-term needs: wheelchairs, equipment, home and vehicle changes, and in-home or attendant care
• Lost income and lost future earning power when paralysis stops a return to work
• Pain, suffering, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life
• Wrongful death damages for families who lost a loved one in a fatal attack

Every case is different. The value depends on the facts. So we never promise a dollar amount or a result.

How We Prove the Property Owner Was Responsible

In these cases, the injury usually isn’t the hard part to prove. The owner’s responsibility is. We build that proof step by step.

• Investigation: We gather incident reports, police records, 911 logs, and video before it’s erased.
• Foreseeability: We pull area crime history, past incidents, and prior calls to the property. Public police-call data and old police reports often show if trouble was building.
• Security failures: We inspect lighting, locks, gates, cameras, and guard coverage. Then we measure them against standards like those in §768.0706.
• Expert help: We work with security experts, medical experts, life-care planners, and economists. They translate an ASIA grade into a projected cost of future care.

Evidence disappears fast. Many camera systems erase footage within days or a few weeks. Acting early helps protect the proof your case may need.

What to Expect: Our Step-by-Step Process

1. Free case evaluation. We listen, explain your options, and answer questions. There’s no fee to talk.
2. Investigation and evidence preservation. We send preservation (“spoliation”) letters. We gather footage and records quickly.
3. Building the case. We document the medical picture, create a life-care plan, and have experts review the security failures.
4. Negotiation. We present the case to insurers and pursue a fair resolution.
5. Litigation. If a fair settlement isn’t offered, we’re ready to file suit and go to court.

Catastrophic cases take time. They involve serious injuries and lifelong needs. We handle the process so you don’t have to. We work on a contingency fee. That means no upfront cost. Fees only apply if we recover money for you.

How Long Do You Have to File? Deadlines Matter

Every state sets a filing deadline called the statute of limitations. Miss it, and your claim can be barred for good.

In Florida, most negligence claims that started on or after March 24, 2023 have a two-year deadline under Fla. Stat. §95.11. Older claims may fall under the prior four-year rule. Wrongful death claims run under Fla. Stat. §95.11(4)(d) and can differ. Your exact time limit depends on the state and the facts.

There’s also a practical reason to act fast. Video and other evidence can vanish within days. Talk to a lawyer promptly to protect your rights and the evidence.

Why Families Choose CHG Personal Injury Lawyers

Families choose CHG because we focus on catastrophic, life-altering injuries. That includes spinal cord injuries and paralysis.

• Our attorneys are licensed and admitted to The Florida Bar.
• We’re Florida-based with nationwide reach for qualifying cases.
• We offer bilingual English and Spanish support so families understand every step.
• We combine plain-language guidance with thorough investigation and expert resources.

We can’t promise a result — and by rule, no ethical Florida lawyer can. What we can promise is to investigate hard, keep you informed, and pursue full accountability.

Choosing the Right Lawyer: Warning Signs to Watch For

The right lawyer explains things clearly and never promises a specific result. Some warning signs should make you pause.

Watch out for a lawyer or ad that:

• Promises or guarantees a specific dollar amount or outcome
• Advertises past verdicts as “$500K / $750K / $975K” results, implying yours will match
• Claims to be “the best,” “#1,” or advertises a set win rate
• Doesn’t return calls or explain your options
• Pressures you to settle fast and cheap
• Has little experience with paralysis or negligent security cases

Here’s why this matters. A firm that leans on flashy result numbers is telling you something. Good representation looks like clear communication, a transparent contingency fee, and a real investigation plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Talk to Us About What Happened — Free, Confidential Case Evaluation

A paralysis diagnosis after a preventable attack changes everything for a family. You don’t have to face the legal side alone.

Contacting us is free and confidential. It creates no obligation. We focus on paralysis from assault on property. Our lawyers can explain your options in plain language and start protecting evidence right away.

Time matters. Contact CHG Personal Injury Lawyers today for a free case evaluation.