SAFETY FIRST

They all stayed late to close the deal.  When the last stroke of a pen graced the dotted line, everyone engaged in a hearty round of congratulatory handshakes, then the conference room rapidly emptied.  The vendor’s CEO, inked contract in her pocket, shuffled into the business’ deserted visitors’ lot.  There, she was attacked by a stranger on the prowl for late-night walkers.

Another company’s employee was delivering packages across town the next morning.  He too was attacked in a random act of violence, just as he was carrying a teetering tower of holiday boxes to their destination.

Both victims will suffer greatly, from their physical injuries and from the loss of that sense of safety we all need to carry on in an uncertain world.  And both employers will rightfully worry – for their employees’ wellbeing, for one, but also about whether they could be held liable for the attacks.

Attacks by third parties against employees or guests can, in some circumstances, expose a business to liability.  It will hinge on whether the crime was foreseeable.  And that will depend on a multitude of factors, from the nature of the business to whether other crimes were committed nearby and what kinds of crime, among other questions.

Your attorney should be involved, a valuable asset, in devising a safety policy.