A Chicago renter says a front-desk security worker at her luxury apartment building sexually assaulted her inside the property, and she is now taking the building’s management and its security contractor to court. The woman has filed a civil lawsuit naming both companies, a move she and her attorney discussed in a televised interview Friday, saying they want the building held accountable for what they describe as a failure to protect residents.
What FOX 32 reported
According to FOX 32 Chicago, the tenant alleges the assault happened inside the building and says her suit names the company that manages the property along with the private security firm that staffs the front desk. Reporter Leslie Moreno spoke with the woman and her lawyer, who argue the firms failed to stop the guard and did not adequately vet, supervise or oversee employees working in the building.
What the complaint may allege
Civil cases that go after property managers and security contractors often lean on claims like negligent hiring, lax supervision and poor training, along with premises liability theories that say common areas were not kept reasonably safe. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers notes that these civil actions can move forward even if criminal charges are never filed and can seek compensatory damages and, in some situations, punitive damages aimed at punishing especially egregious conduct.
Chicago precedent and recent payouts
Chicago courts and public agencies have signed off on sizable payouts in other cases where institutions were accused of failing to stop sexual misconduct. The Chicago Park District has approved multimillion-dollar settlements tied to sexual abuse in its aquatics program, a scandal that has cost the district millions, according to WBEZ. Cook County juries have also returned six and seven figure verdicts in negligent security lawsuits, including a 1 million dollar verdict in a Hyde Park apartment case documented by Corboy & Demetrio.
What to watch next
The civil complaint is newly filed, and forthcoming court records are expected to spell out the defendants’ names as well as the specific legal theories behind the suit. FOX 32 Chicago aired its interview Friday with the woman and her attorney, who say they want changes to how the building and its security vendor screen hires, supervise workers and document or report employee conduct. Local attorneys say the case could spur policy changes at high end apartment complexes if plaintiffs are able to show that management or contractors ignored warning signs.
