Negligent Security Lawyer in Aurora, Missouri

Serving Southwest Missouri Since 1957. No Fee Unless We Win.

When a property owner’s failure to provide adequate security allows a crime to happen, the victim can hold that owner accountable. Negligent security is a distinct category of premises liability: it arises not from a spill or a broken step, but from a foreseeable criminal act that reasonable protective measures could have prevented. At Pettit Law Office, we represent people injured in these situations throughout Southwest Missouri.

Why Clients in Aurora, MO Choose Pettit Law Office

We’ve served injured clients across Southwest Missouri since 1957, and that history shapes how we work. You speak directly with your attorney from your first call through resolution. There’s no handoff to a paralegal and no revolving door of unfamiliar faces. As a family-owned firm, we bring a personal investment to every case.

We’ve recovered millions of dollars for clients since our founding, and we offer bilingual services, including a Spanish-language option, for clients who need it. Our approach combines thorough investigation, skilled negotiation, and full trial preparation. Property owners and their insurers know we’re prepared to take a claim all the way.

Missouri’s Business Premises Safety Act

Missouri’s Business Premises Safety Act (RSMo 537.785 and 537.787) governs when a business owes a duty to protect visitors from criminal acts. The law sets a specific threshold: a business has no duty to guard against crime unless it knew, or had reason to know, that such acts were being committed or were reasonably likely, and enough time existed to prevent the harm. This is a higher bar than a standard hazard claim, which is why these cases require a different approach from the start.

Once a duty is established, the business can still raise affirmative defenses. It may argue that it implemented reasonable security measures, that the injured person was trespassing, or that the person was engaged in a felony at the time. Missouri courts also recognize a “special relationship” exception to the general no-duty rule. Relationships such as innkeeper-guest, common carrier-passenger, school-student, and employer-employee can give rise to a duty even without a prior pattern of crime.

Like all negligence claims, a negligent security case requires proving duty, breach, causation, and damages. Each element must be supported by evidence, which is why investigation matters as much as legal argument.

Where Inadequate Security Injuries Happen

These claims can arise at almost any commercial property. Common locations include:

• Apartment complexes and multifamily housing with broken entry locks, burned-out lighting, or no on-site staff
• Parking lots and garages lacking functioning cameras, security personnel, or adequate lighting
• Convenience stores, gas stations, and retail locations in areas with documented prior crimes
• Bars, nightclubs, and event venues where crowd management and security staffing fall short
• Hotels and motels with non-functioning room locks or no controlled access to guest areas

Courts evaluating these claims look at prior criminal incidents on the property, the nature of the location and surrounding area, and whether the owner had implemented reasonable safeguards. A property in a high-crime corridor that made no security upgrades after prior assaults may face a harder defense than one that had never experienced an incident.

How We Investigate an Inadequate Security Claim

Building a negligent security case means establishing what the property owner knew and when, then showing that better measures may have prevented the crime. We gather police reports, records of prior incidents at the property, security footage, and maintenance and staffing logs. That evidence can show whether the owner had notice of the risk and whether reasonable steps were in place or ignored. We don’t settle for the first documents a property owner produces. We look for the full record, and that foundation supports both negotiation and, when necessary, trial.

Filing Deadlines, Fault Rules & Compensation in Missouri

Missouri gives injured victims five years from the date of injury to file a negligent security claim under RSMo 516.120. That window is longer than in many states, but waiting creates real problems: witnesses move, surveillance footage is overwritten, and property records disappear. If the victim died as a result of the incident, a wrongful death claim must generally be filed within three years of the date of death under RSMo 537.100.

Missouri’s Comparative Negligence Rule

Missouri follows a pure comparative negligence rule. If a court finds the victim was partly at fault, their compensation is reduced by their percentage of fault rather than eliminated entirely. Even someone who bears some responsibility for the circumstances can still seek compensation.

Damages & Where to File

Recoverable damages can include medical expenses, lost income, and non-economic losses such as pain and suffering. A civil claim arising in Aurora, Missouri, would generally be filed in the Lawrence County Circuit Court in Mount Vernon, part of Missouri’s 39th Judicial Circuit.

Start Your Free Consultation Today

You don’t have to figure out alone whether you have a claim or how strong it is. We can review what happened, explain how Missouri law applies, and give you an honest assessment. Our contingency-fee arrangement means there’s no upfront cost and no fee at all unless we recover compensation for you.