Find a negligent security lawyer in San Antonio: when a property owner may answer

When can I sue a San Antonio property owner after an attack?

Being attacked on someone's land is not enough. A Texas owner has a duty only when the risk of crime is both unreasonable and foreseeable. Courts look at five things about earlier crimes.

A landlord that keeps control of security can fall under this rule. A lease alone does not answer that, so find out who hired the guards, who ran the gates and who fixed the lights.

Does crime data help my negligent security case in San Antonio?

It can. Crime is not spread evenly here. SAPD's 2023 violent crime plan said six addresses each recorded 10 or more violent crimes in a year, and most were apartment complexes. A pattern like that at one place is the type of proof these cases need. We are not naming any property here, and a high count does not by itself prove anyone did wrong.

For the wider picture, SAPD counted 23,943 crimes against persons from January through September 2025 and 24,294 in the same months of 2026. Citywide numbers do not win a case. The evidence that counts is about your address.

1. Download the calls for service file from Open Data SA and filter for the address.
2. Request the actual reports from SAPD online, by mail or in person.
3. Give a case number if you have one, or two or more details such as date and location.
4. Ask at the SAPD Records Office, 315 S. Santa Rosa, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
5. For attacks in county areas, ask the Bexar County Sheriff's Central Records too.

Who is responsible for attacks at San Antonio apartments, bars and the River Walk?

• Apartments: each exterior door needs a keyless bolt and a door viewer. If you reported a broken lock, the landlord must repair or replace it.
• Bars and clubs: check who ran the door. Video may be kept only a short time, so ask in writing right away.
• River Walk and downtown parks: Park Police patrol these areas. Non-emergency: 210-207-8590. An attack on public land raises the government rules below.
• Parking lots and stores: find out whether the store or a separate company owns the lot.

Who pays after a negligent security attack in San Antonio?

A money claim usually goes to the owner, manager or security company, through their liability insurance. The attacker is often unknown or cannot pay.

• A Texas defendant usually pays only its percentage of fault. Over 50 percent, it can owe the whole recoverable amount.
• An owner can name an unknown criminal as a responsible party, which can shrink its share.
• You recover nothing if you are found more than 50 percent responsible.

Separate from any lawsuit, the Texas crime victims fund can help up to $50,000 and pays after other sources. An application is generally due within three years of the crime. The District Attorney's Victim Assistance division helps with this at 210-335-2105, including in Spanish. SAPD Victims Advocacy is at 210-207-2141.

What if the attack happened on government property in San Antonio?

The clock is shorter. City claims need written notice within 90 days after the injury, saying when, where and how it happened. Other public bodies have a 6-month notice period. Opportunity Home, the city's public housing agency, is one to ask about. Texas limits lawsuits against government, and security claims against public bodies can be very hard. Ask about that first.

What should I ask a negligent security lawyer in San Antonio?

• What past crimes at this address have you found so far?
• Who controlled security, and were guards hired from another company?
• How will you preserve video this week?
• Will the owner blame the attacker, and how would that change my recovery?

Questions