Many crime victims do not realize that they may have legal recourse, whether or not the perpetrator is caught. They mistakenly believe that it’s up to them to pay for their own medical bills and it’s up to them to deal with the damages incurred by the attack – healthcare costs, counseling or therapy, medications, lost income, pain and suffering, and sometimes the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The victims of crime know full-well that a single attack can wreak havoc on one’s life and the effects can be long-lasting, if not permanent. A tragic example of this is the Las Vegas shooting that occurred on October 1, 2017 where a gunman killed 58 people as they attended the Harvest Music Festival on the Las Vegas Strip. This is being called, “the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.”
“Hundreds of victims of the Oct. 1 shooting in Las Vegas filed five lawsuits in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday. The largest suit names 450 plaintiffs. Among those being sued are MGM Resorts International, owner of the Mandalay Bay resort; Live Nation, organizer of the country music festival at which 58 people were killed; and the estate of Stephen Paddock, the shooter,” NPR reported.
The victims are claiming that MGM and Live Nation were negligent. They are accusing MGM of:
- Inadequate security policies,
- Not training their staff properly,
- Improper surveillance of the premises, and
- Failing to respond fast enough when their security guard was shot by the gunman.
The high-profile case against MGM and other defendants connected to the Las Vegas shooting illustrates how crime victims can seek damages for negligence. In South Carolina and across the nation, crime victims file lawsuits on a daily basis for all types of crimes, including but not limited to: sexual assault, sexual abuse, assault and aggravated assault, and drunk driving accidents.
Are You a Crime Victim?
Are you a victim of workplace violence? Have you been assaulted or sexually assaulted at a business, such as a nightclub, bar, motel, or another commercial establishment? Have you been assaulted on private property? If you’re a crime victim, you may have grounds to file a personal injury claim against the owner or lessee of the premises where the attack occurred. Or, you may have another avenue for compensation. To learn more, contact our Columbia personal injury firm today!