Negligent Security Lawyer in St. Louis

Over 40 Years of Combined Experience Fighting for Victims of Violent Crime

When a property owner’s failure to provide reasonable security allows a violent crime to occur, the victim may have a legal claim against that owner. Negligent security is a branch of premises liability law: rather than a slippery floor or a falling object, the hazard is the foreseeable risk of criminal harm that went unaddressed. At Kolker Law Firm, our attorneys bring over 40 years of combined experience and a record of favorable outcomes to these cases, including the trial readiness that can compel property owners and their insurers to take claims seriously.

Common failures underlying these claims include broken or absent locks, inadequate lighting, non-functioning surveillance cameras, and absent or inattentive security personnel. If you were assaulted, robbed, or otherwise harmed on someone else’s property in St. Louis because those conditions existed, you may be entitled to compensation.

Contact Kolker Law Firm at (314) 684-8285 for a free initial consultation. We represent negligent security victims on a contingency-fee basis, so there’s no fee unless we recover for you.

How Missouri Law Defines a Property Owner’s Duty to Provide Security

Missouri’s Business Premises Safety Act (RSMo 537.787) sets the standard. A business owes no duty to guard against criminal acts on its property unless it knows or has reason to know such acts are occurring or are reasonably likely to occur in a particular area, with sufficient time to prevent harm. That foreseeability requirement is a central issue in every negligent security case, and it’s where property owners and their insurers typically fight hardest.

Even when foreseeability is established, Missouri law gives businesses a set of statutory affirmative defenses: that they implemented reasonable security measures, that the injured person was trespassing or committing a felony, or that the incident occurred while the property was closed to the public. One additional rule matters for evidence: if the owner added or upgraded security after your incident, that fact can’t be used at trial to prove negligence or feasibility. Our attorneys know how property owners deploy these defenses in St. Louis County and St. Charles County, and we build cases from the start to counter them.

Missouri also follows a pure comparative fault rule, meaning you can still recover compensation even if you were partially at fault. Damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, not eliminated by it.

Why St. Louis Victims Work With Kolker Law Firm

Our attorneys have handled thousands of personal injury cases throughout Missouri and Illinois. Members of our team are recognized on the National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Missouri list and hold memberships in Super Lawyers® and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum®. Those credentials reflect courtroom performance, and property owners’ insurers know it. Our reputation frequently produces favorable settlements before a case reaches trial. When it doesn’t, we’re prepared to try the case.

We also meet clients where they are. Our attorneys travel to homes and hospitals for consultations, including evenings and weekends. If you’re recovering from injuries suffered in an assault or robbery in the St. Louis area, you don’t have to come to us.

No Upfront Fees for Negligent Security Claims

We handle negligent security cases on a contingency-fee basis. There’s no cost to speak with us, and we collect no fee until we achieve a settlement or verdict in your case. Call Kolker Law Firm at (314) 684-8285 to discuss what happened and whether you have a claim.