Gas Stations are Dangerous

Why Are Gas Stations Considered "Crime Magnets"?

Negligent Security expert witnesses routinely refer to gas stations as “crime magnets”. Gas stations are usually open late at night and require customers to exit their vehicles in order to pump gas or enter the store. Criminals prey on gas stations, and gas station owners are well aware of the danger their customers are exposed to on the premises.

Negligent and inadequate security cases involve the property owner or proprietor of a business failing to implement reasonable security measures at their place of business. When a serious injury or wrongful death occurs, the victim of a crime may file a negligence lawsuit against the business. Property owners are responsible for crime occurring on their premises, if they could have anticipated “something could happen.” This legal concept is called “foreseeability.” The logic is, a business owner is in a much better position than its customers to know about dangers on and around its property. These types of cases are filed in civil court to recovery money damages such as medical bills and pain and suffering. An attorney must be able to prove in court:

1. That the business owner or proprietor owed a legal duty to protect the person who was injured
2. That the legal duty owed to the injured person was not fulfilled by a failure to provide adequate and proper security
3. That the business owners or proprietor’s failure to fulfill the obligation caused the person injury
4. That the injured person suffered damages.

As a law firm focusing on inadequate security cases at gas stations, hotels, shopping centers, etc., we handle wrongful death and serious injury cases. Common inadequate and negligent security lawsuits involve:

• Wrongful Death
• Rape and Sexual Assault
• Robbery
• Assaults (Beatings and Fights)
• Shootings
• Stabbings
• Kidnapping