December 21, 2016 In Personal Injury

Cordova, TN Apartment Shootings: Was there security?

style=”text-align: justify;”>Violent crime isn’t limited to urban centers, or run-down properties. Areas in eastern Shelby County, including Cordova, TN are experiencing violent crime, often at what many people would consider to be luxury apartment complexes.

Earlier this month, 18 year old Eddie McDonald was shot and killed at the Country Squire Apartments in Cordova, TN.

And just this week, a man was shot and killed at the Appling Lakes Apartments in Cordova, TN, while two others were injured by gunfire. The Commercial Appeal reports that the Appling Lakes shooting was the 19th murder in unincorporated Shelby County in 2016–the highest number of homicides ever recorded.

Did you know that apartment owners must provide reasonable security?

In Tennessee, apartment owners are generally required to provide reasonable security measure to tenants and guests of the property. What is “reasonable?” It depends on the circumstances, such as the type of crime committed against a victim and the history of crime on the property and in the surrounding neighborhood.

Every single apartment shooting case is different. We can’t help but wonder if in the Appling Lakes and Country Squire shooting cases, security measures could have prevented the victims’ deaths and injuries. We do not know enough yet about the cases to make an assessment.

Call us. We are lawyers for crime victims.

We are lawyers for apartment crime victims in Memphis, TN. If you are the victim of an apartment shooting or crime, please call us today at (901) 372-5003.

We have the experience, know-how, and financial resources to properly investigate and prosecute your case. If the apartment complex where you were injured did not provide reasonable security, you may be entitled to money damages to compensate you for your injuries and pain and suffering. This is the case even if you weren’t a tenant and were just visiting.

We have helped others like you. Let us help you. Call (901) 372-5003 and ask to speak to the experienced apartment crime lawyers in Memphis, TN.

November 30, 2016 In Personal Injury

“Apartment Managers Can’t Turn a Blind Eye to Crime,” says Apartment Crime Lawyer Memphis,TN Knows and Trusts.

As an apartment crime lawyer Memphis, TN knows and trusts, I can tell you that in Tennessee, the law requires property owners to take reasonable measures to protect their tenants and guests from foreseeable criminal attacks. Many apartment managers and owners fail to do this, and in some cases, innocent people living in or visiting apartment complexes or communities are injured as a result.

What is a foreseeable crime?

Tennessee case law states that the degree of foreseeability needed to establish a duty by an apartment owner to protect against criminal acts will almost always require that prior instances of crime have occurred on or in the immediate vicinity of the property. Courts will consider the location, nature, and extent of previous criminal activities and their similarity, proximity, or other relationship to the crime that resulted in personal injuries to an innocent victim.

Assessing Crime at an Apartment Complex

So, what is a property owner or apartment manager in Memphis TN supposed to do? The owner or manager can start by assessing the level of crime within the apartment complex and surrounding neighborhood. How is management supposed to know about crime? Many apartment managers commute to work from some other neighborhood and don’t even live in the apartment complex they manage, so they are disconnected from the community. Even if a manager does live on site, the manager might claim he or she never observed any crime occurring, and thus had no reason to know security measures were necessary. Good enough? Not by a long shot. There are many tools available today for property owners and managers to use to assess crime as the first step in developing a reasonable security plan for an apartment community.

Reviewing and Monitoring Crime Levels

As an apartment crime lawyer Memphis, TN counts on, I regularly obtain the following information while representing victims of apartment violence and shootings, so we know that the same information is available to apartment owners and managers.

CAP Index® Reports– According to the company’s website, CRIMECAST Reports are designed to identify the risk of personal and property crimes at a particular location.
Crime Analysis Reports. In the City of Memphis, a property manager or owner can submit a Crime Analysis Search Request to the Memphis TN Police Department and receive a Crime Analysis Report. Information can be requested for a specific address, apartment complex, police district, or radius around an address. The Report generated identifies the number and types of crimes for the time period requested, the specific location of each crime, and the corresponding incident report numbers for each crime.
Review Police Incident Reports. In Memphis, TN, an apartment manager can request copies of police reports in order to understand the types of crimes being committed on or near a property.
Calls for Service. In Memphis, TN, a property owner or manager can request the calls for service made to a particular address or apartment complex.
Statistics from Local Police Precinct. A property owner or manager can also visit the local precinct, discuss crime in the neighborhood, and request and obtain information concerning crime statistics for the area.

Are you the Victim of an Apartment Crime or Apartment Shooting? If so, call the apartment crime lawyer Memphis, TN knows and respects!

If you are the victim of a serious injury due to apartment crime, please call Patterson Bray today at 901-372-5003. We’ve helped others like you, and we can help YOU recover if apartment management failed to take reasonable measures to protect against foreseeable criminal attacks. Patterson Bray is an apartment crime lawyer Memphis, TN knows and trusts. We will meet or speak with you and discuss whether you might have a case at no charge. Let us get to work for you.

Here are the experienced Memphis apartment crime lawyers at our law firm who will work on your case:

July 27, 2016 In Personal Injury

Deadly shooting at Madison Cypress Lakes apartment complex

UPDATED on 08/08/2016: Police have now identified the victim as Monique Brown, who is the mother of a young child.

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A deadly shooting at Madison Cypress Lakes apartment complex in Memphis, Tennessee.

According to news reports, a young woman was shot and killed in a shooting at the Madison at Cypress Lakes apartment complex. What makes this shooting especially tragic is that this is hardly the first time the Madison apartment complex has been the scene of senseless violence. According to News Channel 5, it’s the third incident just this year in which their news crew has reported on a serious criminal incident at the complex.

History of Crime at the Apartment Complex

Another story reports that “[t]he complex has a history of violent crimes.” The story also reports that:

In June 2013, a pizza delivery driver was shot during an armed robbery at the complex. In March 2014, one person was shot during another armed robbery. Two months later, in May 2014, a man was stabbed several times by two men during an attempted robbery. Earlier this year, a woman was sexually assaulted by a man who broke into her apartment.

We know the law on Apartment Crime.

Just 8 months ago, our law firm concluded a lawsuit involving yet another shooting at Madison Cypress Lakes in Memphis, involving the senseless robbery and shooting of a pizza delivery driver. That lawsuit involved allegations of a shockingly low level of security given the Madison’s size, location, and finances.

Unfortunately, though, as confirmed by these local news reports, it appears that residents and visitors of the Madison at Cypress Lakes continue to be victimized by crime.

Obviously, not all crime is preventable. And not all crime that occurs at an apartment complex is the fault of the property owner. But all too frequently we find that large, out of town, corporate owners put profit over people, and they fail to implement reasonable security measures that could prevent innocent people from becoming victims of violent crime.

We represent crime victims and their families.

If you or someone you know has been seriously injured or killed at an apartment complex or other commercial property in or around Memphis or Nashville, call Patterson Bray for help at 901-372-5003.

We assist crime victims in the greater Memphis and Nashville areas. Cities covered include: Memphis, Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Cordova, Eads, Germantown, Lakeland, Ashland City, Belmont, Hillsboro, Brentwood, Belle Meade, Forest Hills, Franklin, Greenhills, Hendersonville, Nolensville, Nolan’s Park, Oak Hill, and surrounding towns and cities.

January 12, 2016 In Civil Litigation, Personal Injury

Apartment Complex Crime – Memphis Attorneys

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We continue to read about apartment complex shootings in Memphis and can’t help but wonder what kind of security measures were in place at these complexes. Could a more thoughtful security plan have prevented these tragic deaths and injuries?

Recent Apartment Complex Shootings in Memphis

Edison Apartments: Man Shot at Downtown Apartments

Alden Gate Apartments: Two in critical condition after shooting

Abandoned Apartment Complex: Double Shooting at Memphis Apartment Complex

Whitehaven View Apartments: Woman Shot in South Memphis Apartment Complex

Duty to Provide Reasonable Security in Tennessee

Did you know that in TN, apartment complexes usually have a duty to provide reasonable security measures? Each case is different, but in some cases, a crime victim injured on apartment complex property may be entitled to money damages from the apartment complex or its owner.

Wait a Minute— I Can Recover Against the Apartment Complex Even Though a Criminal Shot Me?

Yes, in some cases. It depends on the facts of your case and the security measures that were or were not in place at the apartment complex. Every case is unique. It is important to call an experienced apartment complex shooting lawyer to discuss your car.

We Represent Victims of Apartment Complex Shootings.

Do you have questions about a potential case against an apartment complex based on the acts of a criminal assailant? Our law firm has significant experience in this type of case. We have represented clients who have been shot at apartment complexes and we’ve helped them obtain compensation for their injuries. Not only do we have the necessary experience in this kind of case, but we treat our clients like family. You will never feel like a “file on a shelf” at Patterson Bray.

Call us today at (901) 372-5003 or email us here.

December 16, 2011 In Auto Accident, Business Litigation, Civil Litigation, Contracts, General, Personal Injury

What is a Deposition? Law FAQ

Deposition victim attorney in memphis

What is a Deposition?

A deposition is similar to a witness testifying in court, except that it occurs in an out-of-court setting. A witness at a deposition is referred to as the “deponent.” A deposition usually takes place in a lawyer’s conference room, although I’ve personally been involved in depositions that took place in homes, hospitals, and even over the telephone.

It’s a chance for lawyers to ask questions and get answers from a witness under oath. A court reporter is present to make a record of the questions and answers, which is then usually reduced to writing in what’s called a “transcript” of the proceedings. Sometimes a videographer will also be there to film the testimony.

Depositions are part of the “discovery” process of a lawsuit. Each side has the right to discover information about the other side’s allegations. This is accomplished by things like written questions, production of documents, inspection of property, independent medical exams, and depositions. Rule 30 of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure governs depositions in Tennessee.

Do we really need a deposition? Isn’t it expensive?

A deposition can be expensive, but it’s perhaps the most useful tool in a lawyer’s discovery toolbox because it allows for real-time follow-up and feedback. One of the most useful benefits is that, with some exceptions, it can be used to preserve and/or “lock in” crucial testimony. A transcript can be admitted as evidence in court if the witness later becomes unavailable for trial (e.g. death, incapacity, outside the reach of court’s jurisdiction, immune from subpoena, etc.). A transcript can also be used to impeach and cross-examine a witness who shows up for trial with a different version of events.

Depositions are Serious Business.

A deposition is a very serious matter with serious potential consequences. Remember, the transcript may be used in court. If you are the deponent, you should treat your deposition as if your testimony is occurring right in the courtroom in front of the judge and jury.

Need a lawyer in Memphis?

We’d be honored to represent you. Call us at 901-372-5003 or email us here.