Durham Apartment Robberies Target Hispanic Community; Can Victims Seek Justice, Compensation?

North Carolina apartment residents have a right to feel safe and secure in their own homes. Yet, while home owners can implement any security precaution they deem necessary to protect themselves and their families, apartment tenants are largely at the mercy of their property owner and management company to deter crime. Security measures may include gated-entry, fencing, monitored surveillance cameras, off-duty police patrols, private security personnel, bright lighting, and background checks for both tenants and employees. Sadly, such precautions are all too often neglected to limit financial exposure. This inaction and greed can have devastating consequences.

According to WRAL, Durham police are searching for robbers who appear to be “targeting apartment complexes with large Hispanic populations.” There have been 13 reported robberies this week “and the suspects in each case displayed a gun before taking wallets, cash and cellphones from victims.”

The robberies raise grave questions about apartment complex security measures and what additional precautions property owners and management companies are taking to protect their tenants during this crime wave.

While security is ultimately the responsibility of the complex owner, Durham police urge apartment residents to take safety precautions:

• Do not loiter in parking lots.
• Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
• Have your keys ready when approaching to enter your apartment or your vehicle.
• Do not carry large amounts of money or jewelry.
• Do not walk alone at night.
• If someone is following you, do not drive directly to your neighborhood. Instead, drive to a well-lit area.
• When you are walking, avoid strangers or groups of strangers.
• Park your vehicle in well-lit areas.
• Do not open your home door to strangers. Call 911 immediately.

Victims of Durham Apartment Assault or Injury: What Are My Legal Options for Justice and Compensation?

By law, North Carolina apartment complex owners have a duty to protect tenants and guests from any foreseeable harm. Should a property owner fail in this critical responsibility, they may be held civilly liable for any injuries, sexual assaults, or wrongful deaths suffered as a consequence. Compensation may be in the tens of millions of dollars. As each case and property is unique, victims of apartment crime should speak with an experienced security negligence firm as soon as possible to ensure all evidence, such as surveillance footage or broken lighting, is preserved and their best interests are protected.

Can I Afford an Attorney?

Our Clients frequently come in concerned that they won’t be able to afford legal help. We believe everyone has a right to exceptional legal service. We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover. This means our interests are always tied to that of our Clients. Be sure to ask any potential personal injury attorney about their fee schedule and whether they represent Clientele on a contingency basis before signing a contract.

The Murray Law Firm has an extensive and successful record representing victims of violence and security negligence. We have recovered millions of dollars for our Clients, and we recently obtained a $29.25 million dollar verdict for a victim of an unsafe property. We offer our legal assistance, if desired.

We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover.  Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at 888.842.1616. Consultations are free and confidential.

Hablamos Español

La Firma del Abogado Murray, extensiva y exitosamente ha representado familias que han perdido seres queridos como consecuencia de ataques violentos en apartamentos y propiedades negligentes, si lo desea, le ofrecemos nuestros servicios y experiencia. A quien busque ayuda o representación legal, le alentamos que se contacte con nosotros (haga clic aquí) al 888.842.1616. La consulta no cuesta nada y es confidencial.

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Choosing the Right Attorney

Selecting the right attorney for you or your family is highly important. You must feel confident that the attorney you hire has a complete understanding of the law applicable to your particular case, and has successful experience in handling such cases.

Important: Do not hire a lawyer who has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct!!!

You should not hire an attorney who calls you or visits you unsolicited, or anyone that contacts you directly to offer legal services. This activity is strictly prohibited by Rule 7.3 of the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which states as follows:

A LAWYER “SHALL NOT” CONTACT A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT THROUGH A “LIVE TELEPHONE” OR AN “IN-PERSON” VISIT.

– RULE 7.3, ABA MODEL RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.

If an attorney, or someone acting on behalf of an attorney, contacts you in this manner, that attorney is in violation of this Rule. This unethical and unprofessional activity on the part of the lawyer is good sign that you should stay away. It is imperative that you are represented by an attorney who is capable of advocating for you within the confines of the law, and an attorney who fails to abide by the Rules of Professional Conduct is probably not the best fit. In fact, any such attorney should be immediately reported to the local State Bar Association. If you have been contacted in such an unsolicited manner, contact us and we’ll assist you in filing a report.

DISCLAIMERS: 

The information contained in this post is from secondary sources and may therefore contain inaccuracies. We will gladly correct or remove this post upon request. 

The material contained in this post is not intended to constitute legal advice. As each Client is unique, please contact us for a free consultation on your particular case.

“Contingent attorneys’ fees” refers only to those fees charged by attorneys for their legal services. Such fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client.