Can I sue for being shot or stabbed in Ohio?
Often, yes. Ohio property owners owe a duty to take reasonable steps to protect people on their premises from foreseeable crime. When a business or landlord ignores a known danger and someone is shot or stabbed as a result, Ohio law can hold the 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.
How Ohio decides if a crime was “foreseeable”
Ohio uses a totality-of-the-circumstances test: a business owes invitees a duty to warn or protect against third-party crime only when it knows or should know of a substantial risk of harm (Simpson v. Big Bear; Reitz v. May Co.). Courts weigh the proximity and similarity of prior crimes and the owner’s knowledge; because crime is unpredictable, the circumstances must strongly point to foreseeability.
Deadlines in Ohio
- 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.
Evidence like surveillance footage disappears fast, so it’s important to act quickly.
Fault sharing in Ohio
Ohio follows modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar: you recover, reduced by your fault, only if your fault is not greater than the combined fault of the defendants.
What you can recover
Ohio caps non-economic damages in these cases (generally the greater of $250,000 or three times economic damages, up to $350,000 per plaintiff) — but the cap does not apply to permanent, substantial physical injuries such as loss of a limb or organ system. Economic damages (medical bills, lost income) are not capped. For families, a wrongful-death claim can recover funeral costs and the loss of support and companionship.
Why Ohio 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 Ohio crime victims and their families with no fee unless we win.
How we handle a Ohio 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 Ohio. 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 Ohio cases as co-counsel with a locally licensed Ohio attorney, seeking admission pro hac vice (for the individual case) where the court’s rules permit. Any Ohio matter would be handled together with local counsel admitted in Ohio.
If you were shot, stabbed, or lost a loved one to a preventable crime in Ohio, you can still reach out to us directly. We will review your case for free and, where appropriate, associate with a qualified Ohio 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.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sue for being shot in Ohio?
Often, yes. If you were shot on a Ohio property that failed to provide reasonable security against a foreseeable risk, you may be able to sue the property owner for negligent security — separately from any criminal case against the shooter. Ohio applies a totality-of-the-circumstances test — a duty arises when the owner knew or should have known of a substantial risk (Reitz/Simpson). A free case review will tell you whether you have a claim.
Can I sue if I was stabbed on someone's property in Ohio?
Possibly. A stabbing on a Ohio property with inadequate security is handled the same way as a shooting — if the attack was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, the owner may be liable. The claim is against the property owner, not only the attacker.
How long do I have to file a negligent-security claim in Ohio?
Generally two years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident for a negligence claim, and two years from the date of death for wrongful death. Confirm your specific deadline with a lawyer quickly.
Is Michael Haggard licensed to practice in Ohio?
Mr. Haggard is licensed in Florida, not in Ohio. Because negligent-security litigation is his firm's core focus and the firm has a national profile in these cases, he regularly serves as co-counsel with a locally licensed Ohio attorney and, where the court permits, appears pro hac vice for the individual case. You can contact the firm directly, and where appropriate it will associate with qualified local counsel in Ohio.
How does Ohio decide if a property owner is liable?
Ohio applies a totality-of-the-circumstances test — a duty arises when the owner knew or should have known of a substantial risk (Reitz/Simpson). If the crime was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, they can be held responsible.
What does it cost to hire the firm?
Nothing up front. We work on contingency — no attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you.