Can I Sue for Being Shot or Stabbed in Tucson?

Can I sue for being shot or stabbed in Tucson?

Often, yes. If you were shot or stabbed on a Tucson property — an apartment complex, bar or nightclub, parking garage, store, hotel, or transit stop — and the owner failed to provide the reasonable security a foreseeable risk called for, Arizona law may let you hold that owner financially responsible through a negligent-security claim. You are not suing for the crime itself; you are suing the property owner for the security failures that made a foreseeable attack possible. This is separate from any criminal case against the attacker.

Tucson negligent-security law — the short version

Tucson cases are governed by Arizona law. Arizona recognizes a duty to protect against foreseeable third-party crime; how much security was required, and whether the owner acted reasonably, is generally a jury question. A negligent-security lawsuit here is generally filed in the Superior Court of Arizona in Pima County (Pima County). For the full Arizona standard — deadlines, how fault is shared, and what you can recover — see our Arizona negligent security page.

Public safety in Tucson

Tucson’s violent crime has declined for several years, though the city proper still reports a rate above the national average. Whether you have a negligent-security claim turns on the documented history of prior incidents at the specific property, not on the city’s overall numbers.

Where these cases happen in Tucson

In Tucson, these claims commonly arise in the downtown entertainment district and the Fourth Avenue corridor, along South Sixth Avenue, and in midtown, as well as the separately incorporated City of South Tucson. Common property types are apartment complexes, bars and nightclubs, parking lots, convenience stores and retail along the commercial corridors, and motels and hotels.

Good to know in Tucson

A Tucson negligent-security case is filed in the Superior Court of Arizona in Pima County. Tucson’s Crime-Free Multi-Housing Program sets recognized security and property-standard benchmarks for rental housing; note that a case at a property inside the separately incorporated City of South Tucson is governed by that city’s rules, which can require participation in the program.

Deadlines for a Tucson case

• Negligence / personal injury: generally two years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident.
• Wrongful death: generally two years from the date of death.

Surveillance footage and other evidence disappear quickly, so it is important to act fast.

Why Tucson victims choose The Haggard Law Firm

The firm has handled nearly 500 negligent-security cases nationwide and secured the largest negligent-security verdict in U.S. history ($102.7 million). We help Tucson crime victims and their families with no fee unless we win.

How we handle a Arizona case — working with local counsel

The Haggard Law Firm is based in Coral Gables, Florida, and Michael A. Haggard is licensed to practice law in Florida. Mr. Haggard is not licensed in Arizona. Negligent security and crime-victim litigation is the firm’s core focus, and because of the national reputation the firm has built in this specific area, Mr. Haggard regularly works on Arizona cases as co-counsel with a locally licensed Arizona attorney, seeking admission pro hac vice (for the individual case) where the court’s rules permit. Any Arizona matter would be handled together with local counsel admitted in Arizona.

If you were shot, stabbed, or lost a loved one to a preventable crime in Arizona, you can still reach out to us directly. We will review your case for free and, where appropriate, associate with a qualified Arizona attorney to pursue it.

This page is attorney advertising and general information only; it is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Michael A. Haggard is licensed in Florida. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.