Negligent Security Lawyer in Las Vegas

Trial-Ready Representation for Premises Liability Claims Against Hotels, Casinos & Property Owners

When a property owner’s failure to provide adequate security leads to assault, robbery, or other violent harm, the injured person may have a premises liability claim. Negligent security is a specific type of premises liability that holds property owners accountable when they knew or should have known that criminal activity was foreseeable and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it. At Christiansen Trial Lawyers, we’ve represented individuals facing life-changing injuries in Las Vegas and throughout Nevada since 1995, including visitors from across the United States and internationally who were harmed on Las Vegas properties.

If you were injured on someone else’s property due to inadequate security, call Christiansen Trial Lawyers at (702) 357-9977 for a free, no-obligation consultation available 24 hours a day.

Properties Where These Claims Most Often Arise

Las Vegas draws tens of millions of visitors each year, and the properties they visit carry a legal duty to protect them. Negligent security claims can arise when property owners allow conditions like broken locks, poor lighting, missing surveillance cameras, or insufficiently trained staff to persist despite a known risk. Any property open to the public can be the subject of a claim.

Common locations for negligent security incidents in Clark County include:

• Hotels and casino resorts: Nevada Revised Statute 651.015 sets civil liability standards specifically for lodging operators, holding them accountable when harm to a patron was foreseeable and the operator failed to take reasonable precautions.
• Apartment complexes: Residential property managers can be liable when tenants or guests are harmed due to inadequate lighting, unsecured entry points, or lack of on-site security.
• Parking garages and surface lots: High-crime areas with limited visibility and no attendants present foreseeable risks that owners must address.
• Bars, nightclubs, and entertainment venues: Operators who fail to manage crowds, train security staff, or control access can face liability for violent incidents on their premises.
• Retail centers and commercial properties: Owners of shopping areas or mixed-use developments are not exempt when security failures lead to patron injuries.

What You Must Prove Under Nevada Law

Nevada’s general negligence statute, NRS 41.130, provides the legal foundation for premises liability claims, including those based on inadequate security. A visitor’s legal status shapes the duty owed. Invitees, people present by invitation for business purposes such as hotel guests and casino patrons, are owed the highest duty of care, while licensees and trespassers receive fewer protections.

To pursue a negligent security claim, four elements must be established:

• Duty of care: The property owner owed a legal duty to the injured person based on their visitor status.
• Breach of duty: The owner failed to maintain reasonable security measures given the known conditions.
• Causation: That failure directly caused the harm the victim suffered.
• Damages: The victim sustained actual injuries, whether physical, financial, or both.

Foreseeability is often the central dispute. Nevada courts examine the history of criminal activity on or near the property, the type of business, prior complaints or warnings the owner received, and area crime data. Cases filed in Las Vegas are heard in the Eighth Judicial District Court, which covers all of Clark County and handles a high volume of Nevada’s civil litigation.

Comparative Negligence and the Two-Year Filing Deadline

Two legal rules have the most direct impact on what a negligent security claim may be worth and whether it can proceed. Under Nevada’s modified comparative negligence rule, NRS 41.141, a victim’s compensation is reduced by their percentage of fault, and recovery is barred entirely once fault reaches 51 percent. Defense attorneys for institutional property owners routinely try to shift blame onto the victim, which is why anticipating those arguments from the start matters.

NRS 11.190(4)(e) sets a two-year statute of limitations from the date of injury for personal injury claims in Nevada. Missing that deadline typically ends the case. A limited tolling exception applies when the injured person is a minor: the filing clock may not begin until they turn 18. Anyone harmed due to inadequate security should speak with an attorney well before the deadline approaches because building the evidence needed to prove foreseeability takes time.

Why Trial Readiness Changes How Defendants Negotiate

Hotels, casino resorts, and large property management companies carry insurance and retain experienced defense counsel. They are built to resist claims and settle quickly only when they believe a plaintiff’s team is prepared to take the case to a jury. Negligent security claims are particularly demanding: proving that criminal activity was foreseeable often requires security industry experts, crime data analysts, and a thorough review of the property’s incident history.

Our attorneys bring more than 120 years of combined legal experience and have handled hundreds of jury trials across state and federal courts. Peter S. Christiansen alone has participated in more than 100 jury trials. Our record includes multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements in complex personal injury cases, and our reputation among opposing counsel for being prepared and willing to try cases affects how defendants approach negotiations. Clients work directly with experienced attorneys throughout the process, not junior staff.

Evidence to Preserve After a Security Failure

Surveillance footage is often the most valuable evidence in a negligent security case, and it’s also the most vulnerable. Properties routinely overwrite recordings within days, so acting quickly can affect whether a case is provable. After an incident, take these steps as soon as you’re able:

• Seek medical care and document all injuries and treatment
• Photograph the scene, including lighting conditions, access points, and any visible security failures
• Obtain a copy of any incident or police report filed at the scene
• Collect contact information from witnesses
• Preserve any text messages, emails, or prior complaints about security at the location
• Contact an attorney before speaking with the property’s insurance representatives

Evidence commonly reviewed in these cases includes surveillance recordings, security staffing logs, prior police calls to the property, and records of complaints made to management before the incident occurred.

Speak with Our Las Vegas Negligent Security Attorneys

If you or someone you know was harmed because a property owner failed to provide adequate security, you can get a clear assessment of your options from attorneys who know how these cases are built and fought. We offer free, no-obligation consultations, are available around the clock, and provide legal services in both English and Spanish.

Call Christiansen Trial Lawyers at (702) 357-9977 to speak with a negligent security attorney. There’s no cost to learn where you stand.