Abramson Smith Waldsmith LLP
Treating California’s Injured With Dignity And Respect

Could a business be partially liable for parking lot crime?

On Behalf of | Jun 29, 2025 | Personal Injury

Premises liability involves legal responsibility for the maintenance of a property. Both individual property owners and businesses may have premises liability if other people get hurt on private property.

Many premises liability lawsuits begin with slip-and-fall incidents or other maintenance issues. Dog bite injuries also typically fall under the umbrella of premises liability. Some property-related injury litigation has to do with criminal activity.

While the property owner may not have committed the crime, they may have been negligent about keeping the properties secure. Parking lots are a high-risk area, and inadequate security could lead to liability for parking lot crimes.

Was the crime predictable or preventable?

Negligent security involves a failure to take reasonable steps to protect visitors or tenants. In a parking lot, there are several types of crimes that could occur. Vehicle thefts, muggings and assaults are possible. Anywhere there are people late at night or valuable property, opportunistic criminals might strike.

If property owners could reasonably predict the likelihood of certain types of crime based on the location of the property or the type of business they operate, then they should take appropriate steps to prevent that type of crime. Proper lighting can significantly reduce the likelihood of impulse crimes that occur in dark parking lots. Security cameras, restricted parking lot access and even overnight security guards can also be reasonable steps to prevent parking lot criminal activity.

If those who sustained physical injuries or substantial property damage losses due to crime show that a property owner failed to reasonably secure the parking lot, they may have grounds for a premises liability claim. Holding a business or property owner accountable can help people recoup their losses caused by parking lot criminal activity.