$1 Million

Settlement for Negligent Security

The Case: Yarborough Applegate attorneys secured a settlement for the family of a man who was killed after his HOA failed to secure an inoperable gate that served as the entrance and exit to his North Charleston gated community. One night, a group of car thieves entered the neighborhood through the broken gate and stole a car from the decedent’s neighbor’s house. When the thieves returned for the man’s car the following night, he met them in the driveway with a gun. The decedent detained one of the thieves, but tragically was shot and killed while waiting for police to arrive.

The Outcome: Our attorneys secured a $1 million settlement for the decedent's family, arguing that the HOA and property manager had voluntarily undertaken a duty to provide security against unauthorized vehicle access, and had failed to maintain that security after the gate broke.