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Under Pennsylvania law, landlords owe a duty to provide a reasonably safe environment and premises for tenants. This includes the duty to provide doors and windows which work properly. For high-rise apartment buildings in large cities like Philadelphia or New York, landlords must have reasonably safe procedures in place to keep unwanted persons from accessing the building and tenants’ living areas. This means keeping loading docks and back door areas secure. It also means having a trained door person on duty.
Victims of sexual assaults which occur in an apartment complex or apartment building can often obtain justice by filing a civil lawsuit against the landlord, its property management company and/or its security management company. This is especially the case in situations where the attack was committed by a stranger who gained entry into the building.
>>Related Landlord Liability Legal Article: Pennsylvania Landlord Liability for Injury Resulting from Criminal Activity
Common causes of entry by strangers/criminals include:
- broken windows,
- broken doors locks,
- broken door buzzer systems,
- inadequate security,
- inadequate lighting,
- negligent procedures with respect to entry of non-tenants,
- failure to warn of known criminal activity.
This kind of liability is not limited to landlords and can be applied to stores, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants and more.
More from our Pennsylvania Sex Abuse Victims Legal Rights Law Library:
- Rights of Sexual Abuse Victims in Pennsylvania
- Obtaining Justice in a Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against a School in Pennsylvania
Sexual Abuse Victims Civil Lawyer
LBK handles civil sexual abuse cases in the Northeast area with offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Attorneys at the firm are licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The firm has the resources and experience to handle sex abuse cases in all states and welcomes calls from local counsel about potential cases.
Firm partner, Guy D’Andrea, is a former sex crimes unit prosecutor who now fights for victims’ rights to obtain justice in civil cases. He is passionate about justice for sex abuse victims and offers a free, confidential consultation to all victims of sex abuse, whether he decides to take their case or not. Click To Call
**This website does not provide legal advice. Every case is unique and it is crucial to get a qualified, expert legal opinion prior to making any decisions about your case. See the full disclaimer at the bottom of this page.
Published: September 24, 2012
