{"id":22786,"date":"2026-09-11T00:34:51","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T00:34:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/mckinney-tx\/mckinney-negligent-security-lawyer\/"},"modified":"2026-09-11T00:50:58","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T00:50:58","slug":"abogado-especializado-en-casos-de-seguridad-negligente-en-mckinney","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/mckinney-tx\/mckinney-negligent-security-lawyer\/","title":{"rendered":"Abogado especializado en casos de seguridad negligente en McKinney"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you visit a shopping center off Eldorado Parkway, grab dinner near Historic Downtown McKinney, or park your car at an apartment complex along US-75, you expect a basic level of safety. Property owners have a legal duty to provide that safety. When they fail, and someone gets attacked, robbed, or assaulted on their property, Texas law gives victims the right to hold those owners accountable. That legal tool is called a negligent security claim, and it falls under Texas premises liability law. If you or someone you love was harmed because a property owner failed to maintain reasonable security in or around McKinney, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/\">personal injury lawyers<\/a> at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys are ready to help you pursue the compensation you deserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Table of Contents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#what-negligent-security-means-under-texas-law\">What Negligent Security Means Under Texas Law<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#where-negligent-security-incidents-most-often-happen-in-mckinney\">Where Negligent Security Incidents Most Often Happen in McKinney<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#how-to-prove-a-negligent-security-claim-in-texas\">How to Prove a Negligent Security Claim in Texas<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#what-compensation-can-victims-recover-in-a-mckinney-negligent-security-case\">What Compensation Can Victims Recover in a McKinney Negligent Security Case<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#why-the-two-year-deadline-makes-acting-now-critical\">Why the Two-Year Deadline Makes Acting Now Critical<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faqs-about-mckinney-negligent-security-claims\">FAQs About McKinney Negligent Security Claims<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-negligent-security-means-under-texas-law\">What Negligent Security Means Under Texas Law<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Negligent security is a branch of Texas premises liability law. It holds property owners responsible when their failure to maintain reasonable safety measures allows a foreseeable crime to happen, and someone gets hurt as a result. This is not about blaming a property owner for every crime that occurs on their land. The law draws a specific line: if the risk of criminal conduct was both unreasonable and foreseeable, and the owner did nothing to address it, that owner may be liable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Texas Supreme Court addressed this standard directly in <em>Timberwalk Apartments, Partners, Inc. v. Cain<\/em>, 972 S.W.2d 749 (Tex. 1998). That case established that while property owners generally have no legal duty to protect others from third-party criminal acts, an exception applies when the owner knows or has reason to know of an unreasonable and foreseeable risk of harm to visitors. Foreseeability is not judged in hindsight. Courts look at what the owner knew, or reasonably should have known, before the crime occurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Texas courts consider four factors when determining foreseeability: the proximity of prior crimes, how recently and how often those crimes occurred, how similar those prior crimes were to the one at issue, and how publicly known those crimes were. If a property near Virginia Parkway had a documented history of assaults and the owner took no steps to improve lighting or access controls, a new assault victim has strong grounds to argue the risk was foreseeable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Texas Supreme Court further expanded this doctrine in <em>Del Lago Partners v. Smith<\/em>, 307 S.W.3d 762 (Tex. 2010), holding that liability can attach even without a long history of prior crime, if the events immediately preceding the incident made the danger clear. This matters for victims in McKinney who may be told their case is weak simply because the property had no prior incident reports on file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"where-negligent-security-incidents-most-often-happen-in-mckinney\">Where Negligent Security Incidents Most Often Happen in McKinney<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McKinney is one of the fastest-growing cities in North Texas, with a population now exceeding 220,000 residents. The city&#8217;s overall crime rate is lower than both the Texas and national averages, according to FBI 2024 Uniform Crime Report data. But that relative safety does not mean crime is absent. Property crime and violent crime still occur, and they often cluster in specific locations where negligent security is a factor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to McKinney Police Department crime data, incidents tend to concentrate in commercial corridors and high-traffic areas. The area around Central Parkway and Virginia Parkway, along with zones south of Eldorado Parkway, sees higher concentrations of property and violent crimes. Downtown McKinney, along McDonald Street, Louisiana Street, and Greenville Street, is also an area where incidents involving assaults and thefts have been recorded. These are precisely the types of locations, restaurants, bars, retail centers, and parking areas, where property owners have a clear duty to maintain reasonable security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Negligent security incidents commonly occur at apartment complexes, hotel parking lots, shopping center garages, nightclubs, convenience stores, and large event venues. Think of a poorly lit parking structure near the Shops at Craig Ranch, an apartment complex with a broken entry gate near Hardin Boulevard, or a hotel along US-75 with non-functioning security cameras. In each of these settings, a property owner who knew about security deficiencies and failed to fix them may be held liable when a crime occurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The type of harm does not need to be a dramatic headline event. Robberies, sexual assaults, physical attacks, and carjackings all qualify. What matters is whether the property owner had reason to know that crime was a foreseeable risk and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-prove-a-negligent-security-claim-in-texas\">How to Prove a Negligent Security Claim in Texas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Winning a negligent security case requires proving four core elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. Each element must be supported by evidence, and the burden falls on the victim to establish them by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning more likely true than not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Duty is established by showing that the victim was lawfully on the property, as a customer, tenant, or invited guest. Texas law imposes the highest duty of care on property owners toward invitees, which includes customers at businesses and tenants at apartment complexes. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 75, landowners owe trespassers a much lower duty, limited to refraining from willful or wanton injury. If you were on the property legally, the owner owed you a duty of reasonable care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Breach means the owner failed to provide security measures that were reasonable given the known risks. Broken locks, non-functioning surveillance cameras, absent security personnel, and inadequate lighting are all examples of breach. Importantly, having some security in place is not an automatic defense. If a single camera covered a 200-unit apartment complex with a documented history of assaults, that level of security may still fall short of the reasonable care standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Causation requires connecting the owner&#8217;s security failure to the crime itself. Texas law does not require proof that the crime would have been completely prevented. It requires showing that reasonable security measures would have deterred the criminal, delayed the attack, or reduced the opportunity for it to occur. A broken entry gate that allowed unauthorized access for months, for example, creates a direct causal link to an assault that happened inside the complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Damages are the actual losses the victim suffered, including medical bills, lost income, and emotional trauma. Evidence that strengthens a negligent security claim includes prior police reports at the location, maintenance logs showing known but unrepaired security defects, witness statements, surveillance footage, and expert testimony from security consultants. Acting fast is critical because surveillance footage is often overwritten within 30 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-compensation-can-victims-recover-in-a-mckinney-negligent-security-case\">What Compensation Can Victims Recover in a McKinney Negligent Security Case<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Texas law allows victims of negligent security to pursue three categories of damages: economic, non-economic, and in some cases, punitive. Understanding what each category covers helps you see the full picture of what your claim may be worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Economic damages are the measurable financial losses caused by the incident. These include past and future medical expenses such as emergency room visits, surgeries, hospital stays, physical therapy, and mental health treatment. They also include lost wages for time missed from work during recovery, and loss of future earning capacity if the injuries permanently affect your ability to work. In cases where a victim dies from injuries sustained in a negligent security incident, surviving family members may bring a wrongful death claim under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 71.002, which allows recovery for the wrongful act or neglect that caused the death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Non-economic damages cover losses that are real but harder to assign a dollar value to. Physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and loss of enjoyment of life all fall into this category. Victims of violent crimes on poorly secured properties often experience lasting psychological harm that can be just as debilitating as physical injuries. Texas law recognizes these losses as compensable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Punitive damages, also called exemplary damages, may be available when the property owner&#8217;s conduct was especially reckless or grossly negligent. These are not awarded in every case. They are reserved for situations where the owner&#8217;s disregard for visitor safety was extreme, such as knowingly leaving a broken security system unrepaired for months despite repeated complaints from tenants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Multiple parties can share liability in a negligent security case. The property owner, the property management company, and even a contracted security firm may all bear some responsibility depending on the facts. Texas uses a proportionate responsibility system, meaning each liable party pays a share of damages based on their percentage of fault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-the-two-year-deadline-makes-acting-now-critical\">Why the Two-Year Deadline Makes Acting Now Critical<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Texas law sets a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims, including negligent security cases. This deadline runs from the date of the injury. Miss it, and you lose your right to file a lawsuit entirely, regardless of how strong your case might be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two years may sound like plenty of time, but negligent security cases require early action for reasons beyond the legal deadline. Surveillance footage is typically overwritten within 30 days, and some businesses retain it for as little as two weeks. Maintenance records get updated or discarded. Witnesses move away or forget details. The property owner may make repairs immediately after the incident, erasing the very conditions that caused your harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An attorney can send a preservation letter to the property owner right away, legally requiring them to retain all relevant evidence. This step alone can make or break a case. If a property owner destroys evidence after receiving notice of a potential claim, Texas courts treat that destruction, called spoliation, seriously and may impose consequences that benefit the victim&#8217;s case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is one important exception worth knowing. If the incident occurred on government-owned property, such as a city-owned parking garage or a public facility near McKinney&#8217;s Gabe Nesbitt Community Park, the Texas Tort Claims Act applies. That law requires you to give written notice of your claim to the government entity within six months of the incident, a deadline that arrives much sooner than the general two-year limit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys, we serve clients throughout the McKinney area from our office at 110 N. Woodrow Ln, Ste 120, Denton, TX 76205. We handle negligent security cases alongside a full range of serious injury claims, including cases involving catastrophic injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and wrongful death. Call us today at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation. Past results in any case do not guarantee the same outcome in your matter, as every case depends on its own facts and applicable law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faqs-about-mckinney-negligent-security-claims\">FAQs About McKinney Negligent Security Claims<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I file a negligent security claim even if the attacker was never caught or charged?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. A negligent security claim is a civil case brought against the property owner, not a criminal case against the attacker. Texas law does not require the person who committed the crime to be caught, charged, or convicted. Your claim is built on what the property owner knew, what they failed to do, and whether that failure created the conditions that allowed the crime to happen. The attacker&#8217;s identity or criminal status is separate from the property owner&#8217;s civil liability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if the property had some security measures in place, like one camera or a security guard on weekends?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having some security measures in place does not automatically protect a property owner from liability. The question is whether those measures were reasonable given the known risk at that specific property. A single camera covering a large apartment complex with a history of criminal activity, or a part-time guard at a venue that regularly hosts late-night events, may still fall short of the reasonable care standard under Texas premises liability law. The adequacy of security is judged against the foreseeable risk, not simply against whether any effort was made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What types of properties are most commonly involved in negligent security cases in McKinney?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Negligent security cases arise at any location where a property owner has a duty to maintain safe conditions for visitors. Common locations include apartment complexes, hotels, shopping center parking lots, bars and nightclubs, convenience stores, parking garages, and large event venues. In McKinney, commercial corridors along Central Parkway, Virginia Parkway, and the US-75 corridor see higher concentrations of crime, making negligent security claims more likely to arise in those areas. Any business or property where the public is invited can be the subject of a negligent security claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does Texas&#8217;s proportionate responsibility rule affect my negligent security case?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Texas follows a proportionate responsibility system under the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code. This means that if multiple parties share responsibility for your harm, such as a property owner, a property management company, and a contracted security firm, each pays a percentage of the total damages based on their share of fault. Your own actions are also evaluated. If you are found to be more than 50 percent responsible for your own injury, Texas law bars you from recovering damages. An attorney can help you anticipate and counter arguments that attempt to shift blame onto you as the victim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much does it cost to hire Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys for a negligent security case?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys handles personal injury cases, including negligent security claims, on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay no attorney fees unless and until we recover compensation for you. There are no upfront costs to get started. You can call us at (940) 800-2500 to schedule a free consultation. We will review the facts of your case, explain your legal options, and help you understand what steps to take next. Our principal office is located at 110 N. Woodrow Ln, Ste 120, Denton, TX 76205. Attorney responsible for this content: Chandler Ross, principal office located in Denton, Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Can I file a negligent security claim even if the attacker was never caught or charged?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. A negligent security claim is a civil case brought against the property owner, not a criminal case against the attacker. Texas law does not require the person who committed the crime to be caught, charged, or convicted. Your claim is built on what the property owner knew, what they failed to do, and whether that failure created the conditions that allowed the crime to happen. 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Attorney responsible for this content: Chandler Ross, principal office located in Denton, Texas.\"}}]}<\/script>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More Resources About Premises Liability &#038; Property Injuries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/mckinney-tx\/mckinney-slip-and-fall-lawyer\/\">McKinney Slip and Fall Lawyer<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cuando visita un centro comercial cerca de Eldorado Parkway, cena cerca del centro hist\u00f3rico de McKinney o estaciona su auto en un complejo de apartamentos a lo largo de la US-75, espera un nivel b\u00e1sico de seguridad. Los propietarios tienen la obligaci\u00f3n legal de garantizar esa seguridad. Cuando no lo hacen y alguien sufre un ataque, un robo o una agresi\u00f3n en su propiedad,\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":22663,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-22786","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22786","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22786"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22786\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22833,"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22786\/revisions\/22833"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22663"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22786"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}