Negligent Security Settlement Timeline

Answer:

When we have people come in to see us over potential negligent security claims, one of the first things they want to know is how long they can expect their case to last. Generally, negligent security cases last a long time. It is very rare for a negligent security case to resolve prior to filing a lawsuit, and that is because these cases are very fact-intensive and rely heavily upon expert witnesses. They also usually involve very significant injuries, so those cases on their own tend to drag out a lot longer. Under Georgia law, the injured party has two years from the date of the incident to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Once the lawsuit is filed, we have to go through the discovery process of learning and gathering evidence that helps us support our case. Negligent security cases are highly reliant upon those types of evidence to show that there was knowledge of pre-existing issues on the premises, and that the premises owner didn’t do enough to protect their patrons. From the time of filing, it’s not uncommon for these cases to take somewhere between three to five years before we can resolve them, often with a trial.