In Michigan, negligent security claims generally revolve around whether the property owner or business had a duty to protect people from foreseeable harm and whether they failed to take reasonable steps.
That doesn’t mean a property guarantees safety. Instead, it looks at practical questions like:
- Were there warning signs that similar incidents could happen?
- Did the property’s security system (or staffing) match the risk?
- Was the condition allowed to continue after notice?
- Did the security gap help create the opportunity for the attack or delay intervention?
In Harper Woods, these cases often connect to situations where criminals can exploit predictable patterns—unsecured exterior doors, limited lighting in parking areas, malfunctioning access controls, or inadequate response protocols.


