$1,136,000 Settlement – Inadequate Security Case: Sexual Assault (Wisconsin)

John Elliott Leighton was retained by a Wisconsin woman who was sexually assaulted in a factory outlet mall.  Mr. Leighton discovered through litigation many instances of crimes and warnings to the management company, as well as cutbacks in security which resulted in this crime.  After litigation in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the case was settled for $1,136,000 prior to trial. L.F. v. McArthur Glen.

Factory outlet malls, which became popular in the 1990s, are a soft target for violent crime.  They are usually fairly quiet during days and often, as in this case, the stores are manned by one salesperson during slow hours.  There may be little or no security presence.  There are often multiple points of entry for ingress and egress. In this case Mr. Leighton proved that this serial rapist was traveling around the country targeting young women working in factory outlet mall stores.  This particular mall had many warnings that they were posing a danger to customers and employees. They had cut back on their security spending and had failed to implement reasonable security measures, making such a crime highly foreseeable.

As a national expert in negligent security and sexual assault litigation, Mr. Leighton was brought in by a skilled Wisconsin personal injury lawyer.  Mr. Leighton conducted a full investigation, assembled a team of experts and support personnel, and extracted the important testimony and information from the mall operator’s own employees and outside witnesses.  The case settled when the factory outlet mall owner recognized that trial would be devastating.

This sexual assault was a catastrophic event for our client.  Her entire life was turned upside down.  Mr. Leighton was instrumental in proving through rape trauma experts that this young woman would never be the same again. She would have limited vocational and romantic choices because of what had been done to her.  She lived in fear and hardly left her home.  Leighton Law believes that every rape and sexual assault survivor deserves their full measure of damages, to try to rebuild their lives as best they can.  In this case Mr. Leighton recovered a substantial amount that allowed our client to start her path to recovery. This included obtaining the best psychological care available.

Disclaimer: The information about past verdicts and settlements of the firm’s cases are based on the unique facts of each case. These amounts reflect the gross recovery in each case (before attorneys fees, expenses and medical costs are deducted). Although these results were obtained by our firm, they may not indicate the success or value of any other case. By clicking on Verdicts and Settlements you are acknowledging that each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own merits. The information contained here has not been reviewed or approved by The Florida Bar.