Do I need a security expert to prove what protection my Georgia case required?

· 3 min read

A security expert is not strictly mandatory in every Georgia negligent-security case, but expert testimony frequently helps establish what reasonable protection the property should have provided. Whether an expert is needed depends on how technical the security questions are and what an injured person must demonstrate to a jury.

What an expert can establish

Negligent-security cases often turn on judgments about industry practice that lie outside ordinary experience. A qualified security expert can explain what a reasonably careful operator in similar circumstances would have done, translating a vague sense of unsafe conditions into a concrete standard the jury can apply. Typical subjects of expert opinion include:

  • Whether lighting, cameras, locks, or personnel met accepted practice for the type and location of the property.
  • How the crime risk at the site compared to recognized warning signs.
  • Whether reasonable measures would likely have deterred or prevented the attack.

That last point, often called causation, can be especially hard to show without expert help, because it asks the jury to weigh how a hypothetical security improvement would have changed events.

When expert proof may be optional

Not every case demands an expert. Some failures are obvious enough that jurors can judge them with common sense, such as a long-broken gate the owner knew about or burned-out lighting in a lot with a clear history of violence. In those situations the basic duty under O.C.G.A. § 51-3-1, which requires ordinary care to keep premises safe for invitees against foreseeable criminal acts, can be argued through records and witnesses without specialized testimony. The decision often comes down to whether the security question is one a layperson can fairly evaluate.

How an expert fits the broader proof

Even a strong expert opinion supports rather than replaces the other elements of the claim. Foreseeability still rests on the property’s crime history and surrounding circumstances, an inquiry Georgia courts have framed through prior substantially similar incidents, as in Sturbridge Partners, Ltd. v. Walker. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33 a jury still measures the owner’s failings against the criminal actor and the injured person, assigning each a percentage and barring recovery at 50 percent. And the two-year cutoff in O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 continues to apply.

The bottom line

A security expert is not always required in a Georgia negligent-security case, but expert testimony often proves valuable for showing the applicable standard and that better protection would have mattered. The need depends on how technical the issues are and whether jurors can fairly judge the security failure on their own.

This article is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship, and Georgia law may change. For advice about a specific situation, consult a licensed Georgia personal injury attorney.

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