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| February 2011 |
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"Surely there comes a time when counting the cost and paying the price aren't things to think about anymore. All that matters is value - the ultimate value of what one does."
~ James Hilton
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Greetings!
We bring you confidence through information.
Our job is to provide you the information you need. Whether it's through our investigative services or through our informative newsletters, we want you to have the latest and current information. In this edition, we have provided you a case study about negligent security and how to use public records to establish liability and negligence. We want to write about topics that you can use in your day-to-day practice. Please e-mail us your topics of interest at InvestigativeReport@completelegalinv.com.
We encourage you to share our e-newsletter with others in your sphere of influence.
Sincerely, Your Team at Complete Legal Investigations
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Case Study - Negligent Security
A college student was returning from his home in Miami to his school in Orlando. He stopped around midnight at an all-night franchise restaurant off I-95. While in the drive-thru lane, he was accosted by two young men, who tried to rob him, but shot and killed him instead. His vehicle crossed the main thoroughfare and crashed into a hedge across the street.
The plaintiff attorney asked us to research crime statistics in the surrounding neighborhood and to conduct a scene inspection to document the lighting in the area around the restaurant.
I traveled to the location after midnight and discovered that the parking lot was dark enough to train ninjas. The forensic photographer who accompanied me documented the few working lights in the parking lot. There was also a free-standing building next door which housed an abandoned restaurant. An assortment of discarded bottles, condoms, and narcotics paraphernalia littered the parking lot and the curtilage of the abandoned restaurant.
We used property records to determine property ownership and crime grids to establish patterns of violent incidents in the surrounding neighborhoods. This information helped show that the owners of the defendant restaurant were aware of the crime risk and did not take adequate steps to ensure the safety of its customers.
Particularly helpful in establishing the knowledge of the owners was...
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Using Public Records to Establish Liability and Negligence
Government agencies at the municipal, county, state and even federal levels maintain important records and statistical information that can firmly establish knowledge of conditions for establishing negligence. For example, law enforcement agencies maintain reports of all types of criminal activity for specific geographic areas, such as:
- Incident reports for specific locations and addresses
- Number and types of crimes (property crimes, violent crimes, trespasses, nuisances, noise violations)
- Call records and CAD reports for each incident/crime called in
- 911 calls for emergency contact with the agency (these are usually maintained for a limited time, generally 90 days or less)
The skilled legal investigators at Complete Legal Investigations routinely access law enforcement and government agency records to establish knowledge of the hazardous condition and negligent behavior.
We have also developed the contacts and networks to access:
- Code enforcement agency records of violations at a property by address and owner
- Corporate records maintained by the state division of corporations that can establish ownership interests
- Occupational licenses (now "business tax" licenses) maintained by both...
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About Us
At Complete Legal Investigations, Inc., we help our clients eliminate uncertainty by understanding the issues confronting them. We conduct interviews, research, and forensic analysis to clarify disputed facts and identify potential solutions. Complete Legal Investigations, Inc. is comprised of talented and experienced investigators and researchers with over 80 years' combined experience in the legal system. Our staff is bilingual and comprised of former federal and state investigators, Certified Legal Investigators (CLI®), Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE®), and a Certified and Florida Registered Paralegal (CP®). Working as a team, we provide an adjunct staff that works cooperatively with your law firm or business, so that you can offer your client the very best legal representation. Learn more
Contact Us: Post Office Box 33676 West Palm Beach, FL 33420-3676 Tel 561-687-8381 Fax 561-687-8389 info@completelegalinv.com www.completelegalinv.com
© 2012 Complete Legal Investigations, Inc. All rights reserved.
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