Unsecured Property Becomes a Nightmare

Imagine this: a casual evening, a simple visit to an apartment, turns into a nightmare. Our 23-year-old client was unknowingly lured into a trap and brutally assaulted. While he was visiting a young woman at her apartment, a text message from her opened the door for three men while he was in the shower. He emerged only to be beaten with a baseball bat, robbed, and left for dead.

This wasn’t just a random crime; it was a devastating failure of premises security. The apartment complex, where he believed he was safe, was instead a breeding ground for danger, with broken cameras, an unsecured gate, and a history of criminal activity. Our client was left not only physically shattered but also with the crushing feeling that no one was accountable for the dangerous environment that allowed such a horrific act.

Relentless Pursuit of Accountability

Many law firms would have seen the complexities of this case—the layers of responsibility, the difficulty in proving negligence—and simply moved on. But we saw a young man whose life was irrevocably altered because a property owner failed in their most basic duty: to provide a safe environment. We recognized that the apartment complex’s neglect of functioning security cameras, monitors, and a limited access gate, coupled with a significant criminal history on the property, painted a clear picture of negligence.

At Broussard Knoll Law Firm, we thrive on these challenging cases. We immediately filed suit, not only against the criminals responsible for the attack but, crucially, against the apartment complex for their failure to provide reasonable security in a high-crime area.

Just ten months after the suit was filed, we offered to settle with the apartment complex for their insurer’s $1 million dollar policy limits. Shockingly, the insurance company rejected this reasonable offer. This refusal, in our view, constituted bad faith for not settling within the policy limits. We weren’t going to let them off the hook.

Fifteen months after our initial settlement demand, their refusal cost them dearly. After intense mediation, the case settled for over $8 million dollars, plus costs. This monumental victory brought our client the significant resources needed for his long recovery and sent a clear message that negligence has consequences.

“I can’t say enough good things about these guys. From start to finish they exceeded my expectations every step of the way. I couldn’t be happier with the service I received or the outcome of my case.”

Broussard Knoll Law Firm Client

“This is a case where 99% of lawyers only get the policy limits. Because we know the law and because we did not back down, we were able to collect over 6 million on a 1-million-dollar policy.”

Aaron Broussard
Partner & Trial Lawyer