Georgia rewrote the rules on negligent security in 2025. Knowing the new rules is what wins these cases now.
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Georgia's Negligent Security Law Changed in 2025, and It Matters
Negligent security claims in Georgia used to fall under the state's general premises liability statute. That changed on April 21, 2025, when Senate Bill 68 created an entirely new framework specifically for these cases, codified at O.C.G.A. §§ 51-3-50 through 51-3-57.
Under the new law, an invitee, someone lawfully on the property for the owner's business purposes, must show the crime was foreseeable because of prior similar wrongful conduct on the property itself or within 500 yards of it, and that the owner knew about it and failed to act.
The standard for a licensee is stricter still, generally requiring a specific warning of imminent danger. The law also lets a jury assign fault to the criminal who actually committed the attack, not just the property owner.
Get the Legal Help You Need
If you or someone you love was the victim of a violent crime due to inadequate security anywhere in the Atlanta area, the attorneys at Turnbull, Moak & Pendergrass will build the case around exactly what this new law requires, not the old standard many people still assume applies.
Why Choose Turnbull, Moak & Pendergrass
Negligent security cases pit an injured victim against property owners, management companies, and sometimes security contractors, all of whom have every incentive to argue the crime wasn't foreseeable.
We Build the Foreseeability Case From the Ground Up
Our attorneys pull crime reports, incident logs, and maintenance records to establish exactly what a property owner knew and when, since that timeline is often the entire case under Georgia's current standard.
We Prepare Every Case as Though It's Going to Trial
Property owners and their insurers negotiate differently once they understand a firm is genuinely ready to take a negligent security claim in front of a jury.
The Crime Picture Behind These Cases
Negligent security claims track closely with the crimes most associated with poorly secured properties: assault and robbery. According to the Major Cities Chiefs Association, Atlanta's aggravated assaults rose nearly 17 percent in 2025 compared to the year before, and robberies climbed by more than a quarter over the same period.
That trend runs in the opposite direction of Atlanta's declining homicide numbers, and it's part of why crimes tied to inadequate lighting, absent security personnel, and broken access controls remain a real and growing concern at apartment complexes, parking facilities, and commercial properties across the city.
Who Can Be Held Liable
- The property owner, for failing to address a foreseeable risk of criminal activity
- A management company, if it controlled security decisions on the owner's behalf
- A security contractor is held to the same standard as an owner or occupier under
- Georgia's current law
- A commercial tenant, in cases where the tenant controlled the area where the attack occurred
More than one of these parties is often involved, and sorting out who controlled which part of the property is frequently central to the case.
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Frequently Asked Questions Negligent Security Attorneys in Atlanta
Does Georgia's new negligent security law apply to my case?
It depends on when the incident happened. The new framework applies to incidents occurring on or after April 21, 2025. Earlier incidents are generally evaluated under the prior premises liability standard.
What's the difference between being an invitee and a licensee under the new law?
An invitee is someone on the property for the owner's business purposes, like a customer or tenant, and has a somewhat more workable path to proving foreseeability. A licensee, generally someone on the property for their own purposes with the owner's permission, faces a stricter standard requiring a specific warning of imminent danger.
Can the property owner blame the criminal who attacked me instead of taking responsibility?
Partially, yes. Georgia's current law allows a jury to apportion some fault to the person who committed the crime, though that doesn't automatically eliminate the property owner's own responsibility for failing to provide reasonable security.
Do I have to pay anything up front?
No. Negligent security cases at Turnbull, Moak & Pendergrass are handled on a contingency fee basis, so there's no cost to begin, and we're only paid if we recover compensation for you.
