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Negligent security in Washington
Injury from a foreseeable crime that reasonable security would have prevented. Appeals in these cases run to the Washington Supreme Court, through 1 intermediate appellate court.
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The generally recognized elements
These elements are recognized across U.S. jurisdictions; the wording, the burden, and the exceptions vary by state, so confirm them against Washington authority before relying on them.
- The defendant controlled the premises
- Prior similar crimes or circumstances made the harm foreseeable
- Security measures were unreasonable given that foreseeability
- A criminal act caused injury
- Damages
What actually decides these cases
Foreseeability, proved with prior-incident evidence: police call histories for the address, prior crimes on or near the property, and industry security standards for that property type.
Defenses you should expect
- The crime was not foreseeable
- Security measures were reasonable
- The criminal act was a superseding cause
Before you rely on anything
Check the citations
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This page states generally recognized legal frameworks for orientation; it is not legal advice, not Washington-specific legal guidance, and not a substitute for a lawyer or for reading the authority that governs your case. Statutes of limitation are short and vary by state and claim — if you may have a claim, find out your deadline immediately from your state's courts or a lawyer.