When one person violates the law, that individual is usually directly responsible for their own actions. Those who choose to assault others or steal will have to face criminal consequences if they get caught later, for example. Oftentimes, those affected by criminal activity also have the option of pursuing a lawsuit against the party directly responsible for their injuries.
Those involved in criminal activity that harms others or damages businesses could face repercussions through both prosecution and civil claims brought by the parties affected by their misconduct. In certain scenarios, there are also third parties that may have some degree of liability for a criminal incident. For example, when an assault or robbery occurs at a business, the company may have liability for the consequences that occur as a result the scenarios discussed below.
The criminal was an employee on the clock
In general, businesses have liability for what their employees do while working. That would include a scenario in which a worker at a business assaults someone else or commits another crime while on the clock. Examples of this might include when a security professional at a bar becomes violent toward patrons and ends up injuring someone significantly. Especially when it occurs on a business’s premises, a crime committed by an employee may open a business up to liability.
The attack resulted from negligent security
There are certain steps that most businesses reasonably need to take to protect members of the public from criminal activity. These actions include hiring professionals, limiting access to business facilities and installing security systems to deter and solve criminal incidents. If the average person would agree that a business didn’t take common-sense measures that would have prevented the criminal activity, they may be partially liable for putting visitors in an unsafe situation. Premises liability claims allow those harmed on someone else’s property to pursue a lawsuit and seek compensation for their losses.
Such claims often result in insurance payouts, although sometimes a business will have to use its own assets to compensate a victim harmed as a result of a crime. Holding a business accountable is often a better way to secure full compensation than taking similar action against a criminal, who may not have many resources to their name.